Under the bright lights of the FIVB Men's Volleyball Nations League in Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, on the Chinese mainland, world No.24 China celebrated head coach Vital Heynen's 56th birthday with a historic 3-0 victory over world No.10 Serbia.
Since 2010, Serbia had dominated their 10 previous meetings, including a 3-0 sweep at last year's Nations League. But just a day after a 3-0 loss to world No.6 Japan, Team China came back stronger.
"The Serbians are tired. We had the home advantage. They played after us yesterday," said Heynen, pointing to Serbia's grueling five-set win the night before. His players seized that edge early.
Veteran wing spiker Ji Daoshuai, 33, led the charge with eight points in the first set, pushing China to a 25-23 win. The momentum carried into the second set, also won 25-23, fueling confidence on the court.
Serbia fought back in the third, calling a timeout at 13-18. But China's patience and smart play shone through, closing the set 25-20 and sealing the upset.
With this win, China earned 15.98 ranking points and climbed to world No.20, while Serbia dropped to 12th. "China played really well today, while we didn't," admitted Serbia captain Marko Ivovic, who scored a team-high 12 points.
Ivovic praised China's evolving style: "They played more like European teams—patient, waiting for the right moments, and capitalizing on chances."
Serbia head coach Cretu Gheorghe added: "They were smarter than us in crucial moments and deserved the win."
After the match, Heynen led his team in a celebratory lap, high-fiving fans as the crowd sang "Happy Birthday." Reflecting on the victory, he said, "I always forget my birthday, so this is a great present. But I'm happier for the players—they have real potential."
China's breakthrough in Xi'an not only marks a milestone win but signals a new chapter for the men's national team, blending home-court energy with growing competitive grit on the world stage.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
