Kaliningrad, Russia, June 15, 2016 - After Russia's women hosted an FIVB Volleyball World Grand Prix tournament in Kaliningrad, their male compatriots will follow suit and host an FIVB Volleyball World League 2016 Group 1 tournament in the same Baltic city. Old acquaintance Serbia will be their first opponent.
Head-to-Head
• Russia (including Soviet Union and CIS) and Serbia (incl. Serbia and Montenegro) have faced each other 24 times at the World League, with Russia winning 18 and Serbia 6.
• Their most recent encounters in the tournament came at the 2014 edition. Serbia won the first two matches (both in Serbia), Russia the last two (both in Russia).
• Russia won the first 10 matches with Serbia at the World League (including the first seven versus Serbia and Montenegro), before the Serbian team won their 11th match against Russia at the 2007 tournament.
• Their most recent meeting came at the 2015 European Championship group stage, with Russia winning 3-1.
Russia
• Russia will participate at the World League for the 25th time (incl. Soviet Union and CIS).
• They won the tournament in 2002, 2011 and 2013. In both finals they defeated Brazil.
• Last year, they finished in eighth place which was their worst result in the competition (also 8th place in 2012). They lost 11 of their 12 matches in Group B1 and finished fourth behind United States, Poland and Iran.
• They only won their last match against Iran and could win consecutive matches at the World League for the first time since 2014.
Serbia
• This will be Serbia's 19th participation at the World League (incl. Serbia and Montenegro).
• Their best result is a second place, as Serbia and Montenegro lost the final in 2003 and 2005 and Serbia lost the final in 2008, 2009 and 2015.
• Serbia have lost joint most finals without winning one with Cuba (both five). Brazil also lost five finals but they won nine.
• Last year Serbia lost the final against France in straight sets after beating United States in the semifinals (3-2).
• Four of Serbia's last five matches in the competition were five setters (W2-L2), with the final against France being the exception.