Lausanne, Switzerland, July 13, 2017 - Brazil and Serbia kick off Week 2 of the 2016 FIVB World Grand Prix when they meet Friday in Sendai in a rematch of last week's clash in Ankara. Serbia beat the defending champions in straight sets that time and went on to finish the weekend as one of the only two undefeated teams of Group 1 (the other being USA). It's the seventh time in the history of the competition that Brazil and Serbia come head-to-head, with the South Americans leading the series 4-2.
Head-to-Head• Brazil and Serbia will meet for the seventh time in the World Grand Prix.
• Brazil won the first four meetings, three in straight sets and one in five sets. Serbia won the last two, a 3-2 win in 2016 and the straight sets victory last week.
• Their meeting last week was only one of the five straight set defeats Brazil have suffered in the last 10 editions of the World Grand Prix.
• The last team to beat Brazil twice in straight sets in a single World Grand Prix campaign was China in 2005.
Brazil• Brazil have opened this year's World Grand Prix campaign with two wins and one defeat.
• Brazil have lost only three of their last 17 World Grand Prix matches of which two came against Serbia.
• In the previous 11 editions of the World Grand Prix, Brazil have only once suffered multiple straight set defeats: against Russia and United States in 2015.
• Brazil have lost only two of their last 13 matches against European opposition in the World Grand Prix, both against Serbia.
Serbia• Serbia have started their 2017 World Grand Prix campaign with three straight set wins.
• The last team to win the first four matches in a World Grand Prix campaign without dropping a set was Netherlands in 2014.
• Serbia could win their first four matches for the second time after 2013, when they won their first five.
• They are currently on their longest winning streak in the competition as they have won their last seven matches.
• Serbia have also won four successive World Grand Prix matches without losing a set for the first time.
• Serbia are three shy of claiming their 150th set in the World Grand Prix.