Poland have appeared in every edition of the World Grand Prix since 2004. They finished fourth in Group 2’s Intercontinental Round last season and could not better that position despite hosting the Final Four. A 3-0 loss in their semifinal to Belgium was followed by a straight-sets defeat to Puerto Rico in the third-place match. That followed a 15th-place finish in 2013, some way off their most successful finishes of sixth in 2007 and 2010. The Polish team did not qualify for the 2014 World Championship.

The Poles were once one of the top teams in the world. They were founded in 1947 and took Olympic bronze medals in 1964 and 1968. They won a World Championship silver in 1952 and bronze in 1956 and 1962. Fast forward and much has changed. Poland have cracked the top eight in several tournaments in recent times but consistency has been a problem. They have won gold medals twice since 2000. The first was at the 2003 European Championship in Turkey when they beat the hosts in straight sets. They defended the title two years later and also took bronze in 2009 on home soil. They returned to the Olympic stage for the first time in 40 years in 2008 and rallied to qualify for the London 2012 Games. They also competed in this year’s first European Games in Baku, Azerbaijan.