BELGRADE (Serbia) - Korea could pile the pressure onto tournament hosts Serbia on the first day of the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup 2022 Qualifying Tournaments with Ji Su Park leading the way.

The towering 1.98m (6'6") center missed her team's FIBA Women's Asia Cup 2021 campaign but is back on board and will be determined to finish what she got started at Tokyo 2020.

Park took center stage for her country in the Japanese capital and while they couldn't get the victory they craved, she showed her full range of skills and why she has stepped out in the WNBA.

Amassing a double-double in every outing, the 23-year-old came away from the tournament having enhanced her reputation with an all-action 13.3 points, 10.7 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and competition high 3.3 blocks per game.

Time for revenge?

Those numbers included an agonizing 65-61 loss to Serbia, but with their opponents now without forward duo Jelena Brooks and Sonia Vasic, Korea and Park will surely smell blood in the water and be ready to go in for the kill. 

Her battle with new Serbia captain Tina Krajisnik could be one of the most gruelling and fascinating duels of the tournament, and whoever comes out on top will go a long way to helping their team punch a ticket to Sydney.

Meanwhile the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup holds special memories for Park, who famously made her debut at the flagship event during 2014 in Turkey when she was still only 15-years-old. 

Korea go up against their Group A rivals at 21.00 CET, while the other game in the pool will witness Australia opening up against Brazil at 12.00 CET.

FIBA