Thailand face Japan and look for another big win

· Thailand have won only two of their seven World Grand Prix meetings with Japan. Both wins came in five sets.

· Japan won the last two meetings with Thailand in the competition (2013, 2014).

· Thailand have won only six of their 27 World Grand Prix meetings with AVC sides: two against China, two against Japan, one against Kazakhstan and one against Korea Republic.

· Japan have won their last four World Grand Prix matches against AVC countries and can win five in a row for the second time after five between 2002 and 2005.

· Thailand have started off their 2015 World Grand Prix campaign with a 3-2 victory over Serbia.

· For Thailand, it was their first opening match victory since 2012. Their WGP openers in 2013 and 2014 both ended in defeat.

· Thailand's last five-set victory in the WGP coincidentally also was against Serbia (2 August 2014).

· Against Serbia, Kongyot Ajcharaporn led the charge scoring 19 points, all off spikes.

· Japan started off their 2015 World Grand Prix season with a 3-1 defeat against Brazil on Friday.

· Last season, Japan also started out with a defeat. They must hope this does not repeat this, because back then that opening defeat started a five-match losing run.

· Japan have now lost back-to-back WGP matches (both against Brazil), after posting an eight-match winning streak in the competition.

· Against Brazil, Miyu Nagaoka led the way for Japan with 15 points, all from spikes.