OOAK Table Tennis Forum

Why would players and/or coaches want to reveal the equipment. That is part of the strategy to defeat other players/teams.

Strategy? How can it help strategy if every player can inspect their opponent's racket before the match?

Besides, almost everyone uses Tenergy 05 in any case...

Iskandar

See I don't get this. Why does it matter if someone is using a 51 or 52 degree tenergy or whatever? "Damn, we prepared so well but we hadn't expected him to use that pimple structure on a ZLC blade". It's nonsense.

I think the reasons are nothing to do with players hiding stuff from each other, but the table tennis companies hiding stuff from the public. Why they do this is anyone's guess, but some do it more than others. For example Tibhar seem more transparent than most but they are still not fully transparent.

This is pretty much how I feel about it. It's ridiculous. To prepare to play against someone else, what do people USUALLY do?? Probably review videos, compile reports from team members or others who have played against them, etc.



I don't think it's even that. It's that someone actually has to bother to collect and disseminate the information, and it's not really seen as important at the moment other than to a certain group of fans. As can be seen, the information gets out anyway, but no one who's in a position to do so actually has taken the step of implementing the information gathering and distribution necessary for "disclosure" at the tournament organizer level. Some manufacturers do indeed tell the world what their sponsored players use, whether or not that information is true or not is another matter - what with the handle-swapping, other-peoples'-rubber-using and other stuff. Find that Xu Xin in Sweden training video again, they spend 2-3 minutes showing him applying a sheet of Stiga's at-the-time top of the line rubber (Calibra IIRC) - to his reverse side. Of course, they never show what's on his forehand (some blue-sponged variant of H3 of course) and he probably never uses Calibra in a match anyway (I think, like everyone else, he uses Tenergy 05.. ).

Iskandar

If a player/team thinks they have the best equipment I don't think they would want other people to know and/or copy them.

"the best equipment" - does such a thing exist in table tennis? Why isn't everyone using it then?

Seriously, I think no one is requesting players to disclose their equipment of choice for an upcoming tournament. But once a tournament has started or already finished, there's really no reason to hide the info that all parties involved already know from inspecting each others' rackets.

Because the mystery and conspiracy theories is half the fun! Is Joo really using the Joo Se Hyuk blade, or is it a Diode with the JSH handle?? The world may never know...

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I'd like to contradict. The ability to play well has nothing to do with the equipment.

Technique depends on innate ability, coordination, training, etc.
Consistency depends on technique, form, timing, strength, stamina, knowing your equipment, etc.
Scoring points depends on even more than technique and consistency, anticipation, the ability to read and create spin, coping with and using variations, etc. coming to mind.

If T05 would yield better results than Evolution, why would anyone use Evolution? Why would anyone use T05 when allmost all international titles in the last years were won with H3? TT's not like a car race, where in most of the times the faster one wins. TT's a sport, after all.

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I'll have to admit, I had a pretty good laugh when I read that...



It does, sort of. It's called Tenergy 05. And sort of "everyone" does use it. A great deal many of the pros, in fact, even those who also use H3.

Iskandar

Lets say this way: there is better equipment than others. Fabrication, expected performance maintained, etc. But the best equipment is the one that fit the player best shot, his strategy etc. No one can totally copy an other game style. Too much factors.

Did we ever have suggested the federation on that, did we ever have an answer, did we ever asked why we can't have the name equipment, what was their answer ? Maybe spectator can started a campaing to have that. Signatures, signs at the match in the estrade.

Then again, it's not exactly Formula One. In Formula One you can be the best driver but if you don't have the best car on the track you'll likely not win most of the races. In table tennis everyone brings some sort of bat that's best for them, but the bat's not going to have all that much influence over who wins. (Unless they happen to break it in practice right before the match - which has happened.)



So is Formula One.

Iskandar

Anyone seriously think that giving FZD two sheets of MXP would mean his time of winning tournaments was over?

yes

Really?

Iskandar