The 2022 Volleyball Nations League (VNL) began with several of the world's leading women's volleyball teams looking to make an early impression.
The tournament brought together a strong international field, with established powers such as the United States, Brazil, Serbia, Japan, and Korea competing alongside teams determined to challenge the world's best.
For readers looking for more background on the competition, our guide to the Volleyball Nations League 2022 provides additional tournament context.
For many teams, the opening matches were more than just an opportunity to collect points. They were also an important chance to assess new players, develop combinations and build momentum during the early stages of the competition.
USA Make a Winning Start
The United States began their 2022 VNL campaign with a convincing 3-0 victory over the Dominican Republic.
The Americans won the match 25-21, 25-17 and 25-18, producing a controlled performance across all three sets.
The result gave the USA three important sets and a strong start to their tournament campaign.
The American team entered the VNL with considerable experience at international level. The USA had won the first two editions of the Volleyball Nations League, in 2018 and 2019, before the competition was disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Their opening victory over the Dominican Republic therefore underlined their status as one of the teams expected to compete near the top of the standings.
For the Dominican Republic, the match provided an early test against one of the strongest teams in the competition.
Brazil Begin a New Era
Brazil entered the 2022 Volleyball Nations League with considerable attention on their squad.
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The Brazilian women's national team had been one of the most successful sides in international volleyball for many years. However, the 2022 squad included several new faces as the team looked to develop a new approach.
The VNL was therefore an important early test.
Brazil needed to introduce new players while maintaining the high standards traditionally associated with the national team. Competing against the world's strongest sides would provide a clear indication of how quickly the new-look squad could adapt to international competition.
Despite the changes, Brazil continued to approach the tournament with the expectation of competing against the best teams in the world.
The combination of experienced players and newcomers made Brazil one of the teams worth watching during the early stages of the competition.
Readers interested in the broader competition can also explore our article covering the 2022 FIVB Volleyball Women's Nations League.
Serbia Recover After Losing the First Set
Serbia also faced a challenging opening match against Belgium.
The reigning world champions were pushed hard by a Belgian team led by the efforts of Britt Herbots.
Belgium made an excellent start and won the opening set 25-14.
That result put Serbia under immediate pressure, but the world champions responded strongly.
Serbia took control of the match in the second set, winning 25-16. They continued their recovery by taking the third set 25-17 before completing the comeback with a 25-22 victory in the fourth.
Serbia therefore secured a 3-1 win in Ankara, Turkey.
The result was particularly significant because Belgium had shown in the opening set that they could compete with the reigning world champions. Serbia's ability to recover after such a one-sided first set demonstrated their strength and experience.
For Belgium, the opening-set performance offered encouragement despite the eventual defeat.
Britt Herbots Leads Belgium's Challenge
Britt Herbots was one of the key players for Belgium during their match against Serbia.
Belgium's strong first set showed that they were capable of putting pressure on one of the leading teams in women's international volleyball.
However, maintaining that level against Serbia proved difficult.
After the opening set, Serbia improved their performance and gradually took control. Belgium remained competitive in the fourth set, but Serbia eventually closed out the match 25-22.
The match provided an early example of how quickly momentum can change in international volleyball.
Korea and Japan Renew Their Rivalry
Another important fixture in the early part of the tournament was the meeting between Korea and Japan.
The all-Asian contest carried additional significance because of the long-standing rivalry between the two teams.
Both nations had produced strong results on the international stage during the previous year. Korea and Japan had each finished fourth at major competitions in 2021, including the Volleyball Nations League and the Olympic Games.
Their meeting in the 2022 VNL therefore offered another opportunity for the two teams to measure themselves against each other.
Matches between Korea and Japan have traditionally attracted considerable attention because of the competitive history between the two sides.
The VNL meeting was expected to be another closely watched contest as both teams looked to establish themselves early in the tournament.
Why the Opening Matches Mattered
The first matches of a VNL campaign can have an important effect on a team's tournament.
The competition is played over several stages, meaning teams have to manage their squads carefully while facing strong opponents over a relatively short period.
For established teams such as the USA and Serbia, early victories can provide valuable momentum.
For teams introducing new players, such as Brazil, the early matches are particularly useful for building combinations and determining which players can perform consistently at international level.
The opening results also showed that no team could afford to lose concentration.
Belgium demonstrated this against Serbia. After winning the first set comfortably, they were unable to maintain the advantage as the world champions changed the momentum of the match.
A Strong International Field
The 2022 Volleyball Nations League featured many of the leading women's national teams in the world.
The competition provided an opportunity for established powers to continue their development while giving other teams the chance to challenge the traditional leaders.
The early results already showed several different stories.
The USA made a straightforward winning start against the Dominican Republic. Serbia demonstrated their ability to recover from a difficult opening set against Belgium. Brazil began a new phase with a squad containing several new players, while Korea and Japan prepared to renew one of the most familiar rivalries in Asian volleyball.
With so much international experience and competition in the field, the 2022 VNL promised to be a demanding tournament from the opening week.
Looking Ahead
The opening matches were only the beginning of a long VNL campaign.
For the USA, the early victory provided a solid platform as they looked to remain among the leading teams.
Brazil had the challenge of integrating new players while maintaining their competitive level.
Serbia showed why they were regarded as one of the teams to beat, recovering from a difficult start to defeat Belgium.
Meanwhile, the Korea-Japan rivalry added another important storyline to the tournament.
As the competition progressed, the performances of these teams would reveal which squads were best prepared to handle the pressure, depth and demanding schedule of the Volleyball Nations League.
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Official Competition: Volleyball Nations League 2022
Organiser: Volleyball World