Sapporo, Japan, September 29, 2018 – China are banking on their edge in wins from their previous encounters with former world champions Cuba, as the two sides face each other for the eighth time 2018 FIVB Volleyball Women’s World Championship.
Head-to-Head
• China have won five of their seven matches against Cuba at the World Championship, including the last three.
• Cuba's two wins both came in 1998, when they beat China 3-0 in the group stages, and again 3-0 in the final to lift the trophy.
• The last time these two teams met at the World Championship was in 2014, with China winning 3-0.
• China have won the last seven encounters with Cuba at world level major tournaments, including the last four in straight sets.
• The women's world level major competitions are: Olympic Games, World Championship, World Cup, World Grand Prix, Grand Champions Cup and Nations League.
• Their most recent match was at the 2015 World Cup, 3-0 for China.
China• This is China's 14th appearance at the World Championship, and their 12th in a row.
• They won the trophy in 1982 and 1986 and finished runners up on three occasions (1990, 1998, 2014).
• Only Russia (7, incl. Soviet Union), Cuba (3) and Japan (3) have won the World Championship more often than China.
• China finished second in 2014 after losing the final against United States 3-1.
• China are the Olympic gold medal winners from the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. China won the world title in 1986 as the reigning Olympic champion from 1984.
• China finished third at the 2018 Nations League, beating Brazil 3-0 in the third-place decider. They were ranked ninth after the preliminary round but were guaranteed a place in the final round as hosts of the finals.
• Ting Zhu was top scorer in the final round of the Nations League on 86 points.
Cuba• Cuba will begin in their 13th World Championship campaign. They have been ever-present since 1970.
• Cuba have won the trophy three times, in 1978, 1994 and 1998. They recorded their worst rank of 21st at the 2014 World Championship.
• Cuba have lost their last seven matches at the World Championship, their worst run in the competition.
• The last time Cuba started a World Championship campaign with a win was in 2006, when they beat Turkey 3-0.
• Their last appearance at a world level major tournament was at the 2016 World Grand Prix in which they had a W3-L3 record in group 3.