Pool A: Serbia - Italy (28 June)
Head-to-Head
· On June 26th Serbia recorded their second win over Italy in three encounters this World League season, beating them 3-1 in Novi Sad.
· Earlier this season Serbia beat Italy 3-1 in Pesaro and the Azzurri claimed a 3-2 home win in Bologna.
· Serbia have now won 15 of all their 27 World League matches against Italy (56%).
· None of these teams have recorded a straight set victory over each other in their last 9 WL encounters (2010, 2013, 2015), since 2004 when Italy beat Serbia 3-0.
· Serbia have now won six of their last eight encounters with Italy in major competitions.
Serbia
· Serbia are now ranked second behind Brazil (7 wins from 9 matches) with five wins from 9 matches. Italy are also on 7 wins from 9 matches but train Serbia by four points.
· Serbia have now won three successive World League matches losing only one set in total. This is the longest running winning streak in Pool A. Brazil are the only team in Pool A to have set a longer winning streak this WL season, winning four in a row in May-June beating both Serbia and Australia twice.
· Serbia did not finish in the top six in their previous four World League participations.
· Their best finish in the competition is runners-up, which they achieved on four separate occasions.
Italy
· Italy are now ranked third in Pool A. They have suffered successive defeats for the first time this season.
· Italy have both won and lost against all three of their opponents in Pool A this year.
· Italy finished third in each of their previous two World League participations. They finished in the top six in four of their previous five participations.
· Italy have won the World League on eight separate occasions, but have not won the trophy since 2000.
· Italy's Giulio Sabbi was Italy's top scorer in their 3-1 defeat against Serbia scoring 21 points.