In a thrilling five-set showdown at the 2025 FIVB Volleyball Women’s World Championship in Thailand, the Netherlands pulled off a stunning upset by defeating defending champions Serbia to secure the first quarterfinal spot. Despite missing their star player Tijana Bošković due to injury, Serbia mounted a fierce comeback from two sets down to force a deciding set, but ultimately fell 3-2 (27-25, 26-24, 22-25, 20-25, 15-11). Nika Daalderop’s crucial spike sealed the Dutch victory and ended Serbia’s impressive seven-year reign as world champions.
Although Serbia led in key statistics with 72 kills and 13 blocks, their 32 unforced errors—compared to the Netherlands’ 18—proved costly. Aleksandra Uzelac was Serbia’s top scorer with 31 points, followed by Vanja Ivanović’s 24. However, the absence of Bošković’s leadership during critical moments was keenly felt.
For the Netherlands, Daalderop topped the scoring with 19 points, supported by Elles Dambrink’s 17. Marrit Jasper and Britte Stuut also played pivotal roles in clinching the upset.
“It’s incredible—we fought for every single point,” said Jasper after the match. “Making the quarterfinals was our initial goal. Now we’re aiming even higher.”
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The Dutch will face the winner of the Japan vs. Thailand match in the next round, while Serbia’s earlier-than-expected exit opens the door for a new world champion to be crowned.
