November 1, Nagoya: Italy got their World Championship title defence back on track with an efficient victory over a spirited but outgunned Peru.

The reigning champions suffered a shock defeat in their opening Pool D game in Nagoya's Rainbow Hall against Serbia and Montenegro, but Massimo Barbolini's girls got back to winning ways with a 25-15, 25-16, 25-14 victory.

Peru had opened their account in the first day's play with a comfortable 3-0 victory over Egypt, and were hoping to inflict further damage to the champions' hopes of retaining the title.

The South Americans enjoyed the support of a vibrant red and white following in the crowd, who cheered them on in search of victory.

But Italy began in determined fashion, attacking Peru with strikes from Sara Anzanello and Francesca Piccinini.

Peru replied with big hits of their own, notably from captain Leyla Chihuan and Natalia Romanova, the opening day's best spiker, but the champions were proving difficult to pin back.

An enormous smash down the centre of the court from Elisa Togut gave Italy their first set point.

Piccinini made sure they didn't need another, firing a hard serve at Peruvian libero Vanessa Palacios, who couldn't return.

But Peru came back strongly at the beginning of the second set, Milagros Moy sending the crowd into a frenzy with a powerful spike to take a 6-4 lead.

A last-ditch sliding save from Eleonora Lo Bianca then provided the platform for Italy to draw level at 7-7, and Italy added another point to reach the first TTO with their noses in front.

Anzanello then rose high above the net as if to drive the ball into the Peru court, only to flip it over the heads of the already-committed Peruvian defence.

The Italians edged closer to extending their lead to 2-0, but Peru fought valiantly to keep themselves in the running.

But a Valentina Fiorin spike gave Italy the set point, and another big smash from Togut gave the champions a two-set cushion.

The match was beginning to run away from Peru at the start of the third set, with Anzanello and captain Simona Rinieri-Dennis delivering punishing drives past their defence.

Coach Carlos Aparicio called a time-out to try to interrupt the Italians' rhythm, but the champions' were relentless in their attacking play.

Peru's Mirtha Uribe gave the Italians some of their own medicine with a big spike, but the Europeans were determined to make their mark on the competition after the previous day's disappointment.

Rinieri-Dennis was growing in influence, and setter Lo Bianco was spraying the ball around with bewitching guile.

A Fiorin spike gave Italy match point, which Martina Guiggi took at the second time of asking to win Italy the match and set the champions in the right direction after a false start to the tournament.