Japan aims to bounce back at World Volleyball Grand Prix

Moch. N. Kurniawan, Jakarta

Despite having lost all three matches in the first series of the 2004 World Volleyball Grand Prix, Japan warned its opponents that it was aiming for wins in all its three matches in the second series, which will open for three days of competition at the Senayan Indoor Stadium here on Friday.

Meanwhile, the manager of the Russian team conceded that it had been weakened by the absence of key players, adding that the team would just try to do its best.

Japanese team manager Masae Nakamura said on Wednesday that her team had a fifty-fifty chance of winning its matches with Cuba, Russia and Germany.

With a view to ensuring strong performances at the Athens Olympics, all the teams would likely rotate their players so as to produce the best possible lineups, which, according to Nakamura, had the potential to make the teams lose focus.

"So there is a chance for us to win all our matches," she said after a press conference.

Nakamura was speaking during a meeting between the representatives of the four teams and members of the press at the Hilton Hotel.

Japan lost to Russia, Italy and Poland in the first series in Kawasaki, Japan, earlier this month, leaving it in tenth position in the provisional standings.

Russia, whose win-lose record was 2-1 in Kawasaki, is in sixth place. Cuba, with a 3-0 record, is in second, while Germany, on 1-2, is in seventh place.

Russian head coach Nikolai Karpol said his team was facing injury problems. Nevertheless, he said they were committed to doing their best.

"We are committed to performing to our utmost against the other teams," he said.

Besides in Jakarta, second series matches were taking place elsewhere with Hong Kong hosting Italy, the United States, Thailand, China, and Manila being the venue for South Korea, Brazil, Poland and the Dominican Republic.

The top five teams in the final standings will head for the finals in Italy from July 27 to Aug. 1.