Head-to-Head
• This is the 22nd WGP match between China and Italy, and China can balance the scales after having won 10 and lost 11.
• Last year, both teams won one match against each other. Italy won 3-2 in Sassari, before China won 3-1 in Hong Kong.
• They also met twice at the 2014 World Championship, with Italy winning 3-1 in the second round group phase, but with China prevailing 3-1 in the semifinals.
China
• China added a fourth win in as many matches this season when they beat Dominican Republic in straight sets on Friday.
• For the eighth time in 11 appearances since 2005, China have started with four victories in the WGP. The exceptions were 2007, 2011 and 2014.
• Last year, China lost two of their three matches in the opening week before winning all three in week 2.
• China have lost only one set thus far in the WGP, last week against Russia (3-1 China win).
Italy
• Italy have won three and lost one thus far in the 2015 WGP. On Friday, Italy came back from 2-1 behind to beat Japan 3-2.
• This was their third consecutive victory in the competition. They can make it four wins in a row for the first time since 2012-2013 (6 in a row)
• Italy booked their last 13 WGP victories either in straight sets (7) or in five sets (6). Their last 3-1 victory occurred almost two years ago, on 4 August 2013 against Germany.