Maybe the pressure on China's women's team is starting to show - three years before the Beijing Olympics.
Gold medal-winners in Athens last summer, the Chinese have started the World Grand Prix finals with two straight losses, to Cuba and Italy.
They have shown little of the spark and even less of the spirit that swept them to the Olympic title in such dramatic fashion 11 months ago, and, with three matches remaining, it is more about restoring their pride.
'What's gone wrong? It's very difficult to say,' says Chu Jinling, the team's most impressive player so far, after afternoon practice during yesterday's rest day.
'I don't think I've enough time to answer. But every team is trying harder to beat us now we are Olympic champions.
'We feel that the women's volleyball team represents all the people of China, so this puts more pressure on us.