OOAK Table Tennis Forum

Are there limitations of the pimple size or what?

There were a couple of rules changes. One limited the aspect ratio of the pips so there was a limit to how long and skinny you could make the pips (this was a LONG time ago, around the late 90s, before Joo Se Hyuk rose to prominence, so I don't think it hurt him in the least), and the more recent one did away with the "frictionless pips" (not exactly sure when this happened, probably this last decade). The "frictionless pips" had, if rumors are true, epoxy on the pip tips, and were used for a close-to-the-table blocking style of play. Supposedly frictionless enough that you could totally ignore incoming spin. Whether or not ANYONE would have made it into the WC finals with one of these is doubtful - the best of these players was ranked around 100 IIRC, but I imagine they did win a lot of smaller tournaments and leagues, and certain players hated playing against them. As you can see from what's been posted here and elsewhere, there's been a lot of resentment and bad feelings over these rules changes. Particularly the second one, because it was more recent.

Iskandar

I'm not sure, if this is due to the restriction on the type of LP allowed, or whether it's due to the type of ball used, nowadays ....

If you think about it - Rubber like FL3, FL2, and P-1R, have been around for well over a decade, and to the best of my knowledge have remained unchanged (??) .. Yet, defense players, like Joo, Chen Weixing, Filus, Panagiotis, did pretty well for themselves.. I'm not sure if any of these players used FLPs, atleast after they broke into the Top 50 .. I think, it's more to do with the type of ball.

Also, Correct me if I'm wrong, but, I cannot think of a single Top 50 or even Top 100 FLP player (Atleast in the mens category), even before the ban on FLP .. Fabian Akerstorm is one player that comes to mind, and his best ITTF ranking was 165, and he achieved that, post the FLP era..

Pardon my sheer lack of knowledge on the state of womens Pro TT, from yesteryear.. There may have been FLP players on the Pro Womens circuit ..

I wonder, what prompted the ITTF to ban FLP ... ? Could it then be that it was due to the rampant (??) use of FLP on the Seniors Pro Circuit ??

Fabian would’ve easily been a top 50 player if frictionless hadn’t been banned. He made the semis in the junior worlds and lost to a Japanese player in a very tight match (Mizutani?).

Still, "top 50" isn't anywhere near finals material. Problem is anyone in the top 30 could easily handle playing against that style - it wouldn't bother them, and this style is mainly about bothering the other player through "toxic returns". The current inverted rubbers favor attacking play because the top players can generate enough power to overcome any defensive style. Even the top defenders attack a lot. The only really high level player I can think of who plays this blocking game is Manika Bhatra, and she's no defender. On the other hand, at the lower levels, especially at the very much lower levels, these rubbers really do befuddle a lot of players who aren't used to playing against them. Look at the comments on YouTube videos involving people who play with this style - there are a lot of angry people out there (on both sides)..

Iskandar

umm... I'm not sure about that ... He was on the Pro circuit, even before the ban .. Infact, as I mentioned earlier, his best ranking was post the FLP ban ..

Plus, as Iskander said, most players in Top 50 or even Top 100, would not be bothered by FLP .... Even if Fabian would beat them, it wouldn't be entirely due to the use of FLP .. His game was more than just using the FLP as a crutch .. ... Sure, some players would take some time to adjust.. maybe, even lose the first set, or lose a point or 2, due to FLP effect, but by-n-large, not get beaten, simply due to FLP ..

Also, come on - Do you think, that pros didn't incorporate playing against FLP type players, into their intensive training sessions ... ? Gaining the know-how on how to play FLP would've probably occurred, way way before these guys even turned pro ..

I had heard that players could get tennis elbow from the stiffness of the early carbon blades. I also have a Butterfly Keyshot blade and I used it for a while before the Clearfield but I never really liked it that much. It could have been the straight handle but I was always a bit uncomfortable with the balance. That one has Arylyte and maybe that makes it softer.

Dr. Neubauer won many world veterans championships with frictionless LP. Sebastian Sauer beat a world top 100 player. Blocking at the table with FLP was a very viable game style at every level of table tennis competition except the very elite.

If frictionless LPs returned, current frictionless antis would disappear overnight.

_________________



The MNNB Blog has had some pretty amazing stuff lately. Just click this text to check it out. | My OOAK Interview
Table Tennis Video Links: itTV | laola1.tv | ttbl | fftt | Challenger Series | mnnb-tv

My whole set-up costs less than a sheet of Butterfly Dignics

Quite right!! FL pips are more effective,less expensive and easier to use!!

Flantis are extremely expensive,poor durability and much less effective than FL pips.

Many current Lps would disappear.People would start complaining about close to the table defenders,websites selling treated pips would disappear- how nice!!.... And the shadow of cheating cast over defenders would be gone for good......
It is great to fantasize now and again

I suppose Old Man Huang would get legal equipment and could play in regular tournaments..

Iskandar

I’m just quoting his coach (at the time during the junior worlds).

Quite right! . Also,the famous Dawei 388d1 would be a great option to consider; besides,El Toro and criminals would be acceptable too.
What a wonderful world!!

Now when balls has become bigger and plastic, is there more difficulties playing with pimples than with 38 ball? I think ITTF should change those strict piple ratios, heights and so on because of the new ball.
You cant make really good pimples for that new ball. Manufacturers says that this pimple is made for new ball. Truth is there is not so much difference compering 5 years old model of pimples.

Soba

Very true but they have to sell.It seems not easy to make a new low trajectory, disturbing lp . A Talon version with reduced speed would be enough.

Not much has changed. Viscaria which is an old blade is still used by many pros and the most famous rubber - Tenergy 05 - is already more than 10 years old.

Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk