Lausanne, Switzerland, July 31, 2017 - Serbia and USA open 2017 FIVB World Grand Prix Final Six play Wednseday in Nanjing, coming head-to-head for the first time since the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. USA beat Serbia in four sets in Rio 2016 pool play, but the European side knocked out the Americans in the semifinals in five. The two sides meet for the eighth time in World Grand Prix history, with USA leading the series 5-2.
Head-to-Head• Serbia and United States have met seven times at the World Grand Prix. Serbia won two of these matches, United States five.
• One of Serbia's two victories over United States came in the final round, as they beat United States 3-1 in 2013.
• They last locked horns in the World Grand Prix in 2015, when United States won 3-2.
• Serbia and United States met twice at last year's Olympic Games. In the preliminary round United States won 3-1, but Serbia would get their revenge in the semifinals, beating United States 3-2.
Serbia• Serbia will finish in the top six for the first time since 2013, when they finished third.
• They have won seven of their nine World Grand Prix matches this season, losing only to Brazil (3-0) and Japan (3-2).
• Six of their nine matches this season ended in straight sets (W5-L1).
• Brankica Mihajlovic (153 points) finished as top scorer in Group 1 (Italy's Paola Egonu next, 149).
USA• United States are in search of their seventh gold medal. Only Brazil (11) have won more.
• They have won six of their nine World Grand Prix matches this season, losing to Italy (3-2), China (3-2) and Brazil (3-1).
• That loss against Brazil was their most recent match in the World Grand Prix and their 100th defeat in the competition in total (W171-L100).
• Michelle Bartsch-Hackley scored 17 aces in Group 1, more than any other player.