On Tuesday China lost the hard way, going down 3-2 to Brazil after leading 2-0.
Yesterday there was no such drama. This time they lost the easy way, 3-0 to a United States team led by the former coach of China's women's team, Jenny Lang Ping.
It was a famous victory for the fifth-ranked US team, but another shattering loss for the world number one and defending champions in the quadrennial World Grand Champions Cup.
China's chances of retaining the title they won in 2001 are as good as over after just two of the five games, and any talk of a step forward toward the Beijing Olympics has been replaced by fears of a step backward in the world order for the reigning Olympic champions.
China's head coach, Chen Zhonghe, blamed the defeat (25-22, 25-23, 26-24) on the players being exhausted from the National Games in Nanjing last month, and on the fact that they had not enough time to prepare. Diplomatically, Lang agreed with him.
'They also played five hard sets against Brazil,' said Lang, China's coach from 1995 to 1998.
'I don't think it means too much for China because they are trying some young players.'