China's star spiker Zhu Ting said Wednesday that she would learn from all the remarkable volleyball players now playing in the Turkish league.
In an interview with Xinhua in Istanbul, Zhu, the Most Valuable Player (MVP) in the Rio Olympic volleyball tournament, spoke highly of the Turkish women's volleyball league, which draws many remarkable players from other countries.
Vakifbank Istanbul, where Zhu is serving now, boasts such stars as opposite Lonneke Sloetjes from the Netherlands, spiker Kimberly Hill from the United States, and middle blocker Milena Rasic from Serbia.
The Turkish women's volleyball league is often regarded as the best in the world, with the clubs Eczacibasi and Fenerbahce topping the list along with Vakifbank.
Kim Yeon-koung, a South Korean player and the MVP in the 2012 London Olympics, is playing for Fenerbahce. Her encounter with Zhu in the upcoming season that starts in October has become a hot topic among fans.
"The Turkish league as a whole is at a very high level, with many remarkable players here," Zhu said. "I feel I should learn not only from Kim, but also from every other player."
When Zhu suffered from injury during the 2015 World Cup in Japan, Kim offered her a device to help relieve her muscular pain.
"We were rivals at the court, but she cared for me as a good friend," said Zhu.
Zhu was the top scorer in last year's World Cup, winning a total of 113 points in China's ultimate success at the tournament.
In Rio Olympic volleyball tournament where China won the gold medal by defeating Serbia in the final on Aug. 20, Zhu finished again as the top scorer with a total of 179 points, including a tournament-high 33 in the semifinals against the Netherlands.
Zhu described it as every player's "dream" when asked about the prospect of her winning a third championship in the Turkish league.
She signed with Vakifbank in April in a deal proposed by Lang Ping, the head coach of the Chinese women's volleyball team.
Zhu said she may continue to play with Vakifbank in the next season, as she is allowed to do so on condition that her schedule in Turkey does not conflict with that for China.
