Sendai, Japan, July 13, 2017 - Serbia comes into week two of the 2017 FIVB Volleyball World Grand Prix with a perfect 3–0 record from the first weekend of play. They will face the defending champions Brazil on Friday, in what will surely be a fun match. Meanwhile, the crowd in Sendai will be fired up as Japan prepares to face Thailand on its home court.
Speaking at a press conference ahead of this weekend's matches, Serbia coach Zoran Terzic said: "Tomorrrow we start the second tournament of this World Grand Prix, and our Serbia team played well in the first tournament, we won three games 3–0. I expect we can continue in the same way for this tournament in Japan. The opposition will be strong – we have Brazil one more time, and Japan almost every time we play them five sets, and we have Thailand. I expect my team will continue with good games and good results.
"Our goal is to do our best tomorrow to play one very good game and try to win, nothing more. And tomorrow after that game, we will have a new target."
Brazil coach Jose Roberto Guimaraes said: "We have many young players, and for them, it’s the first time to play in big games like this. We want to work together to try to play a good game. I think it will be a good experience for them."
Japan coach Nakada Kumi said: "We had a difficult time in Holland, winning two and losing one. But our mood was good. We still have many things to do."
Thailand coach Danai Sriwacharamaytakul said: "This week our conditions weren't so good. We could practice, but our luggage hasn’t arrived, so it wasn’t really adequate. But I think this will be a really good experience for our team."