Bari, Italy, August 9, 2019 – In a good start for Italy, Ivan Zaytsev and his teammates beat Cameroon 3-0 (25-18, 25-18, 25-16) on Friday in Tokyo Volleyball Qualification Pool C.
Osmany Juantorena, Italy: "With all the respect to Cameroon it was a game that depended on us, I think we played pretty well. Difficult to take to the court with this heat, but it was the same for everyone. Tomorrow we have a tough game, Australia showed its value by playing very well, going to the fifth set with Serbia. So now let's recover our energy and prepare ourselves because it will be a battle."
Simone Giannelli, Italy: "We started off on the right foot. It is always difficult to start an event, we did well against the opponent team who has good athletes. I am very happy - now Australia is waiting for us: if they gave Serbia a hard time, it will also be difficult for us, but we are ready to fight. I think we have to interpret these games as finals, thinking game by game. Australia are a strong team that has consolidated its roster for a few years, we need to be ready, it will not be easy, but it is normal when you want to achieve important goals such as qualifying for Tokyo."
Blaise Mayam Reniof, Cameroon coach: "We lost, of course, but Italy is one of the strongest national teams competing in this event and facing them is always complicated for us. The journey and the delay have affected the performance and speed of some athletes, but I believe that next days we will play much better."
Gianlorenzo Blengini, Italy coach: "We are perfectly aware that for tomorrow, we will need a higher level of play than today. Of course there was the ice to break, entering in a tournament that does not give you a way to grow match by match. You must do the things you can do at the right time. Now let's think about Australia, we will need to play better in service and the management of the float service first. The match tonight can hardly provide any conclusions, we know that the level will rise and we must give more. Sport in general, volleyball in particular, has taught us many times that the differences between the teams exist when the team that has a little more expresses itself to the maximum."
Ivan Zaytsev, Italy: "We have seen that Australia play well. We started slowly today, in front of the home crowd, a devastating heat in the stands and on the pitch. I can say that today was like a training and tomorrow will be the real match. There is a desire to do really a lot and we have great awareness of our means and the opportunity of qualifying, so we are all putting on the field 300% every day. Tomorrow and the day after we will give the maximum, and even more."