More questions awaiting answers as Men's VNL gets under way

With the men's 2021 FIVB Volleyball Nations League getting under way on Friday (following the women's launch last Tuesday), fans across the globe are already shifting to the edge of their seats in anticipation of receiving answers to some nagging questions.

It will take a full month of thrilling action at the 'bubble' in Italy's Adriatic resort of Rimini to reveal those answers, through all 124 matches scheduled.

But check back here once the competition is done and we'll have all the answers for you.

Can Russia continue full domination of the VNL with a third back-to-back title?

Russia have dominated the first two editions so far of the VNL, claiming the trophy by beating the hosts of the finals on both counts - overcoming France in 2018 in Lille and USA in 2019 in Chicago.

And they're certainly bringing to Rimini a squad capable of repeating the feat, with all the big guns present including 2018 MVP Maxim Mikhaylov, 2018 best attacker (173/267 for 65%) Dmitriy Muserskiy and 2019 best server (28 aces or .41 per set) Egor Kliuka.

Russia have always been renowned for their physicality. In Rimini they're fielding the tallest squad on average, at 201cm - Muserskiy himeself the tallest of of all players registered, at 218cm.

But it won't be an easy ride for them.

The 2018 silver medallists USA, the 2018 silver medallists France, plus other powerhouses such as Brazil, USA, Poland and Serbia are sending in elite squads including the stars that shone in previous editions of the VNL.

Amogst them are USA's Max Holt (the record holder for most blocks in a single match, see below); Japan's Yuji Nishida (the record holder for most aces in a match, see below); plus Serbia's Aleksandar Atanasijevic, France's Stephen Boyer and Canada's Sharone Vernon-Evans (who all feature in the list of players to have scored 30 points or more in a single VNL match).

Who can join the list of 'Over 30s' in 2021?

In 2019 only one player entered the list of those who have scored 30 points or more in a single VNL match - when Sharone Vernon-Evans hammered home 31 for Canada in their four-set defeat to Poland at Urmia.

His feat was added to the five before him that had entered the list in the inaugural edition of 2018, including the all-time VNL high of 37 by China's Jiang Chuan in his team's five-set win over France.

Can Vernon-Evans, who will be leading Canada again this year, repeat with another entry? Will any new names be recorded on the list? Follow the VNL to find out.

Will the VNL records of Max Holt and Yuji Nishida in blocking and serving fall this year?

Holt stuffed his opponents eight times when USA beat France in the Final Six of the latest edition in 2019 in Chicago. And Nishida served seven aces as Japan outlasted Bulgaria 3-2 in the League Round last time around.

These are the standing VNL records for blocking and serving - but will they be broken this season?

Can Amir Ghafour repeat his VNL scoring glory of 2019?

The Iranian scored 249 points in 17 matches at the latest edition of the VNL - though the all time absolute record is still held Brazil's Wallace de Souza with his 277 from 19 matches in 2018.

Both will be on court to battle it out for top scorer of the 2021 VNL - or can someone else rise from the pack to grab the honours?