After the conclusion of the 2024 Women's Volleyball World Club Cup, the playoffs of the National Women's Volleyball Super League are set to reignite soon. Although it is still early to determine the final champion, the championship landscape of this season's women's volleyball league has become very clear through the regular season that took place recently.
Shanghai Volleyball Team
Shanghai Bright Dairy Volleyball Team boasts superior strength and is the biggest favorite to win the championship. With the introduction of Russian foreign aid Xiaocaiwa, Shanghai has shown championship potential from the beginning of the season, securing the top spot in the regular season early on. In the last two rounds, Shanghai's consecutive losses to Fujian and Shandong were not due to insufficient strength but rather for training purposes, as they fielded substitute lineups for warm-up matches. It has been proven in actual combat that with their full-strength lineup, Shanghai is indeed leading the pack in the Super League, possessing formidable strength.
Tianjin Volleyball Team
The defending champion Tianjin experienced consecutive defeats at the start of the season. The reasons for this were directly related to significant changes in the main lineup, including the absence of key players such as starting opposite Yuan Xinyue, former powerful foreign aid Valias, and starting setter Yao Di's rest. Fortunately, Tianjin made timely adjustments, with veteran coach Wang Baoquan stepping down and new coach Chen Fang taking over. After the coaching change, Tianjin rallied with a five-game winning streak, ultimately finishing second in the regular season, once again demonstrating their championship caliber. It can be said that the championship contention in this season's Super League will most likely be between Shanghai and Tianjin.
Jiangsu Volleyball Team
Originally favored, Jiangsu Zhongtian Steel Volleyball Team, which boasts national team players like Gong Xiangyu, Wu Mengjie, Zhang Changning, and Ni Feifan, has shown a disappointing performance. Jiangsu started strong but faltered, suffering consecutive defeats in the latter stages of the regular season, even losing to Shenzhen, who were at the bottom of the rankings and struggling for a single victory. Ultimately, Jiangsu finished fourth in the regular season. Based on this performance, Jiangsu's chances of winning the championship this season appear very slim.
According to the scheduled playoff dates, the playoffs will begin on December 31st, with Shanghai and Tianjin securing the top spots in their respective groups without much doubt. Even if Jiangsu, grouped with Shanghai, manages to secure second place in their group, they will face Tianjin, led by Li Yingying and Wang Yuanyuan, in the semi-finals, which will not be an easy task. Whether Tianjin can defeat Shanghai in the finals and successfully defend their title remains the biggest suspense.
Competitive sports are intense and unpredictable, with on-site performance being crucial. Who will ultimately claim the championship of the Super League? Please wait for the answer to be revealed in actual competition.