There were plenty of reasons for China head coach Zhao Yong to be happy with his side’s display in their opening Women’s Volleyball Nations League win over Belgium on Wednesday, not least in the performance of young setter Zhang Zixuan.
Making her debut for the senior national team in front of raucous home support, the 16-year-old marshalled her offence effectively in the 3-0 win, and showed plenty of potential despite admitting to being “quite nervous before the match”.
One of the youngest starters in the team’s history, Zhang’s performance ensured four Chinese spikers scored in double digits at the National Indoor Stadium in Beijing.
“It was my first match and the victory gave me a lot of confidence,” Zhang said. “I was quite nervous before the match but I knew being anxious won’t help.
“The senior teammates, and head coach [Zhao Yong] did a lot to ease me through, the enthusiastic fans helped me settle down, too.”
Zhao praised his senior players for guiding their young teammate through the match, and highlighted the extended training time the squad had before the tournament began.
