Zhu Ting leads China to a winning start in women’s volleyball Nations League in Hong Kong
- The Rio Olympic champions brush aside perennial rivals Japan in straight sets in their first match
- A crowd of about 8,500 witness China at their best as Italy down the Netherlands in other game
They all came to watch their favourite team and they were not disappointed after China made a winning start at the women’s Volleyball Nations League Hong Kong leg, beating Japan 3-0 at the Coliseum on Tuesday night.
Spectators had waited all evening to watch the Rio Olympic champions in action and the 12,000-seat Coliseum burst into life with about 70 per cent in the house occupied by fans of one of the most supported teams of any sport in Hong Kong.
Forget about Liverpool winning the Champions League soccer crown, this was the arena for the towering Chinese champions, led by top spiker Zhu Ting, who wowed the crowd with her pin-point smashes and faultless leadership on their way to a 27-25, 25-18, 25-21 victory.
Zhu Ting led her team with 18 points, 16 in attack and two in blocking. China won all three of their matches in the previous leg in Macau.
“This is a top-level game and we are happy to be the winners,” Zhu said. “We had some difficulties, especially in the first set, but this happens in any match, especially against Japan.”