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World Grand Prix -
Preliminary Round News
Day Six
July
26, 2003 –
First defeat for USA; Brazil fail
to qualify
Match stats
Match Stats Fr
Sp
July 26, 2003 –Korea
humble Brazil; Russia defeats China
Match Stats Match Stats
July
26, 2003 –
Japan and Thailand wind up on a high note
Match Stats
Match Stats
Day Five
July 25, 2003 –
Wrap-up:
USA unbeaten; Brazil blemishes China’s perfect record
Fr
July
25, 2003 –
South Korea outclass Thailand,
USA remains unbeaten after tough encounter with Germany
Korea
v Thailand Match
Stats USA
v Germany Match Stats
July
25, 2003 - Russia wins
third successive match
Spanish
Canada
v Russia Match
Stats Netherlands
v Cuba Match
Stats
Day Four (Rest)
Day Three
July 23, 2003 -
Russia pips Brazil, USA unbeaten,
Italy fall to Cuba
Fr
Match
Stats
Match
Stats
July 23, 2003 -
Russia
knocks over Brazil in 5-set thriller
Match Stats;Match stats
July 23, 2003 -
USA
prevails in top of the
table clash
Match stats
Day Two
July 22, 2003 –
Going gets tough, the tough get going
Sp
Fr
Match
Stats China vs. Korea
Match Stats Italy vs. Netherlands
July 22, 2003 –
Brazil wins, Germany back on top
Spanish
Match Stats Bra vs Can
Match Stats Ger vs Cub
July
22, 2003 -
USA and Russia win opening matches
Sp
Match Stats Jap vs USA
Match Stats Rus vs. Tha
July 22, 2003 - USA
need five sets to beat Japan
Day One
July 21, 2003 - Korea pulls off
upset of Russia
Sp
Match
Stats
July 21, 2003 - USA
open with sweep of Cuba
Sp
Match stats
July 21,
2003 - Big Teams make deep cuts in opposition
Fr
Sp
July
21, 2003 -
China sweeps Canada, Italy bt Germany
Sp
July 21, 2003 -
Brazil
& the Netherlands win first matches
Sp
July
21, 2003 -
China seek progress in first match
Sp
Preview
July 19, 2003 - China
announces final line-up for Grand Prix
July
18, 2003 -
Brazil get ready for Italy
Spanish
July
17, 2003 - Counting down to the opening whistle
Spanish
July
10, 2003 -
Big guns warm up
for World Grand Prix
July 04, 2003 - Nine teams
confirmed for 04 edition
Fr
Ge
Sp
July 01, 2003 -
Brazil prepares for the Grand Prix Sp
July 01, 2003 -
Thailand eye improved form
Sp
June 29,2003 -
2003
Drawing of
lots
Spanish
match schedule
June
26, 2003 - German Coach Names Squad German
June
23, 2003 - Chinese
team gains confidence
Spanish
June 18, 2003 -
Dates and competition finalized
Fr
Sp
Ge
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Day Seven -
Final day
China deprives
Russia of their second World Grand Prix title
Andria, Italy, Aug 3, 2003 – China pulled off the sensation of
the 2003 World Grand Prix finals when they deprived title
defenders and outright favorites the prize with a display of
stunning and stylish volleyball that mixed skill, deception and
strength to give them a well deserved 3-0 victory.
From the opening minutes it was clear that China were not phased
by their opponent and they looked set to make Russia’s defense
of their title as difficult as possible. Chinese setter Feng Kun
was swift and accurate and distributed shots well to Zhao Ruirui,
Liu Yunan and Yang Hao and even with the formidable Russians on
the other side they were two points ahead at 18-16 when Yang
aced for a three point lead. China was 23-19 and in reach of the
first set. A deceptive float shot gave them set point but
Ekaterina Gamova defended and Evgguenia Artamonova narrowed
before Yang landed a spike that gave China 25-22 and the lead.
More Results
Standings
Best players
World
Grand Prix Award Winners
Top Scorer: Ekaterina Gamova, Russia
Top Spiker: Elizaveta Tishchenko, Russia
Top Blocker: Anastasia Belikova, Russia
Top Server: Yang Hao, China
Special award for Most Popular Player: Paula Cardullo, Italy
Italy exits in style with 3-1 over Korea
Andria,
italy, Aug 3, 2003 - The crowds came out in force to see Italy
pound Korea in their final match with nothing more at stake than
not finishing at the bottom of the finals table. Indeed Italy
went out with a flourish 3-1 (25-19, 25-17, 22-25, 25-13)
match stats and put on a face-saving show for their fans.
In the opener, Italy put big hitters Elisa Togut, Simona Gioli
and Valentina Borrelli to good use, while the pint-size 162cm
libero Paola Cardullo guarded the defense and they ran up an
early lead. The Koreans worked to get the measure of the
Italians and trailed two points at 9-11 but at 16-11 Italian
coach Marco Bonitta started to smile. Korea scrambled back to
16-19 on a big spike from Lim Yu-Jin but looked uncomfortable.
more
Pic: Italy's pint-size dynamo libero
Cardullo joins teammates in celebration
Results
Standings
Best players
USA defeat
Netherlands 3-0 to finish third
Andria,
August 3, 2003 – The USA prevailed 3-0 over a gritty Dutch side
on Sunday to take third place at the 2003 World Grand Prix here
in southern Italy.
Match stats The Americans took the match 25-22, 25-20 and 28-26 after a
commendable fight by the younger and more slightly built Dutch
team that hung on and kept fighting until the last whistle.
The Dutch also can be well pleased
with their result here in Italy and fought their way to the
final round with some commendable tiebreaker victories against
Italy, Cuba, Korea and Germany.
USA made a solid start with Scott
and Phipps deadly in spiking and consolidating the block to shut
out the more slightly built Dutch players.
more
Spanish
Pic USA rejoice after finishing third in
the World Grand Prix
Results
Standings
Best players
Day Six
Italy, August 2 -
Contest
sharpens for top four finishes
French
Italy, August 2
-
Korea
fails to repel USA
Italy, August 2 -Russia recovers to take 3-1 over Italy
Spa
Italy,
August 2 -
China takes 3-1 victory over Netherlands
Spa
Day Four and Five - Rest Day
Day Three
Pending showdown for unbeaten Russia and China
Matera, Italy,
July 30, 2003 – Russia and China charged on in the FIVB $1
million World Grand Prix on Wednesday both scoring third
straight victories to put them in the box seat for a last match
showdown on Sunday when this elite annual women’s volleyball
tournament finishes.
Meanwhile, in late night action, Netherlands came back from two
sets down to win in the tiebreaker against Korea. more
French
Match stats
Pic: A joyous Dutch team after winning the
thrilling tiebreaker against Korea
Finals
schedule Results
Standings
China
revenge against Italy for third straight win
Gioia de Colle, Italy, July
30 - China battled for one hour and
26 minutes to beat Italy 3-1 on Wednesday for their third
consecutive win in the final round of the 2003 FIVB $1 million
World Grand Prix, the elite annual volleyball tournament for the
world’s top teams. The Chinese women gained sweet revenge for
their 3-1 loss to Italy at the 2002 World Championship in 2002
with a 25-22, 23-25, 25-15 and 25-20 victory over the reigning
world champions, who have yet to record a win in the final
round. more
Match Stats
Pic: China spoils Italy's party winning 3-1
Russia defeats USA, Italy down to
China
Matera,
Italy, July 30, 2003 – Russia underlined their intention to
defend their World Grand Prix title on Wednesday when they
prevailed in a hard fought battle against the USA to take their
match 3-1
(25-19, 21-25, 25-21, 25-17)
Match Stats and
be unbeaten so far in the final round of this annual elite
women’s volleyball tournament. Meanwhile, at the second location
Gioia de Colle, world champions Italy virtually said goodbye to
their chances of a top finish with a resounding 3-1 (25-22,
23-25, 25-15, 25-20)
Match Stats defeat at the hands of China in this round robin
format that winds up at the weekend. It was Italy’s third defeat
in the final round and a bitter disappointment to their fans in
this country that reveres volleyball.
More
Pic:
Russia's star
captain Evgueniais Artamonova on her way to 19 points
against USA
Finals
schedule Results
Standings
Do or die for hosts Italy
July
30, 2003 – Day three of the FIVB World Grand Prix Final Round
opens on Wednesday with a crunch clash between hosts and World
Champions Italy, who have yet to register a win in the Final
Round, against unbeaten China at 14:15 GMT in Gioia del Colle.
At last year's World Championship Italy beat China 3-1 in the
semifinals and will need a similar result to keep them in
contention for a Grand Prix medal with only three games
remaining. Wednesday's other matches see two superpowers come
face to face with defending champions Russia, who are undefeated,
taking on USA (record 1:1) at 14:30 GMT in Matera before winless
Korea play the Netherlands, who also have a 1:1 record, at 17:30
GMT, both games in Matera. Pic: The photo says it all -
Italian fans hope their team can win on Wednesday
Day Two
Shakeout begins among the world’s top teams
Matera,
Italy, July 29, 2003 – Tuesday’s matches saw the beginning of a
major shakeout among the world’s best women’s volleyball teams
as they began their serious campaign for the 2003 title at the
FIVB $1 million World Grand Prix.
Titleholders Russia surged to the top of the table of this round
robin competition after a 3-0 win against a fatigued
Netherlands, USA downed a valiant Italy, also 3-0 and China
bulldozed Korea 3-0 Match
Stats to underline their membership in the “Big
Three” of this tournament.
more French
Pic:
China's Na Chang stretching for a dig in the match against
Korea.
Russia and
USA early winners on Day Two
July
29, 2003 – Day two of the World Grand Prix Final Round has
started with USA having beaten World Champions Italy in straight
sets 25-19, 25-19, 26-24 in Matera to improve their Finals
record to one win and one loss. More
Match
Stats. In Tuesday's second match defending
champions Russia retained their unbeaten record after
comfortably beating the Netherlands 3-0 (25-22, 25-18, 25-15) in Gioia del
Colle. More
Match
Stats. The final game on Tuesday sees
China, 3-0 winners over USA on Monday, take on Korea at 17:30
GMT.
Pic: The Netherlands reflect on their straight sets loss
to Russia
Day
One
Wrap-up Day One Final
Round
July
28, 2003 – The FIVB $1 million World Grand Prix resumed on
Monday with a star-studded cast of six line-ups, talons drawn
for the final battle for the title in this elite women’s annual
Volleyball competition.
Netherlands defeated Italy in a draining five set marathon here
in the sweltering south of Italy in a match that will surely
cost both teams heavily in energy in the coming days, Russia
coasted through at Korea’s expense while China sent USA away
tired and empty-handed to round up the day’s matches.
more French
China ends two-game losing streak with straight-sets victory
over USA
Matera, Italy,
July 28 - China beat the United States in straight sets for
their opening victory in the final round competition of the FIVB
$1 million 2003 World Grand Prix in women’s volleyball.
The Chinese girls ended their two-game losing streak at the end
of the preliminary stage with the 25-21, 26-24 and 28-26 victory
in one hour and 19 minutes. more
Match stats
Finals
schedule
Results
The Netherlands & Russia make stunning starts
July
28, 2003 - Defending champions Russia and the Netherlands both
made impressive starts to the Final Round of the World Grand
Prix registering victories in their opening matches in
contrasting fashion. While the defending champions Russia steam
rolled Korea in straight sets
3-0 (25-15, 25-23 and 25-16) in Matera. More
Match
Stats Meanwhile the Netherlands rocked hosts Italy in a
stunning come-from-behind victory in Gioia del Colle 3-2 (23-25,
23-25, 36-34, 26-24, 19-17). Match
Stats Finals
schedule Live
score Results
Pic: Russia has easily beaten Korea 3-0
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PREVIEW |
Six
team showdown for Grand Prix honors
July
28, 2003 - The race for the World Grand Prix title, the
premier annual women's event, heats up on Monday when
the Final Round starts with six teams playing off in a
round-robin format for gold, silver and bronze. The
matches on the opening day sees hosts Italy take on the
Netherlands in Gioia del Colle starting at 14.15 GMT
before world number one and defending champions Russia
play Korea at 14.30 GMT and USA and China do battle at
17.30 GMT, both games in Matera. Finals
schedule
Pic: Russia, the defending champions, have
only lost one game
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