Europeans Abroad: Mladenovic has a big week in Korea

European volleyball players are spread all over the world during the 2022-2023 club season, playing big roles in their teams. Many of them are currently away from the continent, competing in some of the top leagues on the planet, and we’ll help you follow their journeys by providing periodic updates on how they’re doing.

Korea

Bosnian opposite Jelena Mladenovic had a big week in the Korean V-League as the 25-year-old player scored impressive 54 points in the two matches her team Incheon Heungkuk Life Pink Spiders Korea played over the last few days.

Mladenovic, who has Korean superstar Kim Yeon-Koung as a teammate in her team and is in her second season in Korea, fired 30 points in a five-set loss to GS Caltex Seoul KIXX on Tuesday and followed it up with another 24 in a sweep of Hwaseong IBK Altos two days later.

The Pink Spiders are currently in second place in the Korean League with 39 points (13 wins), trailing leaders Suwon Hyundai E&C Hillstate, who have 42 points (15 wins).

On the men’s side Dutch outside hitter Thijs Ter Horst also came up big for his team Suwon KEPCO Vixtorm, tallying 27 points against Cheonan Hyundai Capital Skywalkers, but his efforts weren’t enough to avoid a 3-1 loss. Vixtorm are currently fifth in the seven-team V-League.

Japan

The Japanese V. League had a break this weekend for its annual All-Star Game Weekend and Polish star opposite Bartosz Kurek was the biggest name in the men’s edition of the festive match.

The only international player selected to take part in the game by fan voting, the 34-year-old Kurek, who plays in the country since 2020 finished in second place with the Wolfdogs Nagoya last season, led his team to a 3-2 victory while also taking home the match’s Most Valuable Player award.

China

The European-heavy Shangai Bright had a week of ups and downs in the Chinese League. After winning all their 13 matches in the regular season, the team of Italians Osmany Juantorena and Giulio Sabbi and Polish Bartosz Bednorz had one win and two losses in the second phase of the league, which precedes the quarterfinals.

Shangai lost to Zhejiang Sports Lottery 3-2 on Thursday, came back to defeat Jiangsu Nanjing BS Maomao also on five sets on Friday and fell again to Hebei Hairui in straight sets on Saturday while sending a reserve team to the court.

The Europeans, who only appeared in the first two matches of the round, had great production with Sabbi scoring 45 points, Juantorena tallying 41 and Bednorz adding another 33.

Their opponents in the quarterfinals will be the Tianjin Food Group of Russian opposite Maxim Zhigalov and Serbian outside hitter Danilo Pavlović. With 56 points from Zhigalov and another 40 from Pavlović, the team had two wins (against Sichuan Orange Bag and Shandong Sports Lottery) and one loss (against Beijing BAIC Motor) in the second round.

Brazil

Estonian outside hitter Robert Täht continues to have an excellent first season in Brazil as the 29-year-old outside hitter has been one of the key pieces in his team Farma Conde Sao Jose, which is one of the sensations in the country’s national league.

With the European coming up big in key moments, Sao Jose secured an important 3-1 road win against Rede Cuca Volei on Wednesday and continue in third place in the standings with 23 points, only behind Sada Cruzeiro Volei and Volei Renata, two teams that recently appeared at the FIVB Men’s Club World Championship.