OOAK Table Tennis Forum

I have not followed this forum since 2-3 years. So I was wondering: what's new?

Anything happened in the last two years that is worth mentioning? I hear echoes about a merger of TSP & Victas, coloured rubbers, hexagonally shaped blades

More particular: any interesting evolutions in defensive blades, chopping rubbers, balls? Have new top level defenders emerged?

_________________
Exclusive OOAK-Interview with Joo Saehyuk | Masato Shiono | Panagiotis Gionis

Hey Pipsy, welcome back Are you still playing?

From my perspective...

Most players in my region are still using the Xushaofa ball. The original ball from when we first moved to plastic 40+.

TSP has indeed been fully integrated into Victas, so TSP P1-R has become Victas P1-V etc.

The new Stiga blade is indeed hexagonal... I don't really know what to say about that! It's the first of its kind, but I suspect other manufacturers will jump on that bandwagon if it gets good reviews.

In terms of professional defensive players, I'm not aware of anyone who's broken into the WR100. After the plastic ball move, it felt like we had some defenders move up in the world rankings, but now it feels like we're slipping further back than ever.

_________________
My blog: "Learning to play: as a modern defender": http://ooakforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=58&t=22254
My YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtazeX ... oICGS9bqNg
Join the OOAK Discord!: https://discord.gg/Yw2hYUdz3g

[Other gear I've used]
Blades: Butterfly Defence 3, Butterfly Defence Pro, Butterfly Innerforce ZLC, Butterfly Innershield, DHS Power G7, Stiga Offensive Classic Carbon
SPs: Friendship 802 (1.5), TSP Spectol (1.3, 1.8, 2.1), TSP Spectol Speed (1.3), TSP Super Spinpips Chop Sponge 2 (0.5, 1.3)
LPs: Butterfly Feint Long II (1), Butterfly Feint Long III (0.5, 1.3), Tibhar Grass D.TecS (OX), TSP Curl P1-R (0.5, 1, 1.3), TSP Curl P4 (1.3)

Hey Pipsy, so great to hear from you!

Covid has certainly messed up the table tennis scene a bit. I know a lot more people actually played the game at home, for something to do during lockdowns. Now that things are starting to open up again, I'm not sure if it will bring more people to the clubs.

Regarding equipment, I can't think of any new exciting breakthroughs. Some people like the new colours of rubbers, like green and blue, but I don't think it's going to change the game too much.

_________________
OOAK Table Tennis Shop | Re-Impact Blades | Butterfly Table Tennis bats
Setup1: Re-Impact Smart, Viper OX, Victas VS 401 Setup2: Re-Impact Barath, Dtecs OX, TSP Triple Spin Chop 1.0mm Setup3: Re-Impact Dark Knight, Hellfire OX, 999 Turbo
Recent Articles: Butterfly Tenergy Alternatives | Tenergy Rubbers Compared | Re-Impact User Guide

The Stiga Cybershape is turning some heads...

_________________
Grab my game-changing new book and take your game to the next level!

Personalized Online Performance Coaching for Table Tennis now available!

Hi Dunc, yes, still playing again after the covid-stop. Changed back to my old club (60 miles from where I live) for competition and I'm having fun again. I'm still member of my local club for training and another (limited) competition league.

Defenders in top 100. I can still see Filus at 36 and Gionis at 52, same as a while back. I can't see Yuto Muratmatsu anymore, what happened to him? Victas named several blades after him and he seems to be completely disappeared from the rankings.

Such a pitty that no new names showed up...

And how are you, Dunc?

_________________
Exclusive OOAK-Interview with Joo Saehyuk | Masato Shiono | Panagiotis Gionis

Thanks Alex, good to be back!

_________________
Exclusive OOAK-Interview with Joo Saehyuk | Masato Shiono | Panagiotis Gionis

Love to hear this Are you playing well?


I've seen videos of him playing recently. He seems to have some good wins, and some bad losses - matches where he gets crushed. I think he was injured though, so perhaps we'll see him starting to climb the rankings again.

Of all of the defenders that I can think of in recent times, Hou Yingchao has been the most successful! He's made a huge comeback in Chinese tournaments over the past year or so.


I'm great thank you Got the "bug" again for TT after a couple of years out (partially enforced because of COVID, but partially because I'd fallen out of love with the game).

_________________
My blog: "Learning to play: as a modern defender": http://ooakforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=58&t=22254
My YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtazeX ... oICGS9bqNg
Join the OOAK Discord!: https://discord.gg/Yw2hYUdz3g

[Other gear I've used]
Blades: Butterfly Defence 3, Butterfly Defence Pro, Butterfly Innerforce ZLC, Butterfly Innershield, DHS Power G7, Stiga Offensive Classic Carbon
SPs: Friendship 802 (1.5), TSP Spectol (1.3, 1.8, 2.1), TSP Spectol Speed (1.3), TSP Super Spinpips Chop Sponge 2 (0.5, 1.3)
LPs: Butterfly Feint Long II (1), Butterfly Feint Long III (0.5, 1.3), Tibhar Grass D.TecS (OX), TSP Curl P1-R (0.5, 1, 1.3), TSP Curl P4 (1.3)

I've been been meaning to write a post about the ideal blade shape IMO... spoiler alert, it's not that.

Sent from my SM-G781B using Tapatalk

Cool marketing campaign though

_________________
Grab my game-changing new book and take your game to the next level!

Personalized Online Performance Coaching for Table Tennis now available!

Welcome back Pipsy!

- One thing that's changed recently is more and more people are changing to the sticky tensors. Rubbers such as Dignics 09c, Rakza Z, etc. In other words they are playing with "boosted H3"-like rubbers. This also applies to choppers. I know Joo switched to the H3. Filus is now a D09c player.

- The new rubbers tend to go in the hard/extra hard/even harder direction. Before covid, Victas V>15 was considered a hard rubber at 47.5. Nowadays most pros play 50-53 on both sides.

- Choppers are still a dying breed. Some new faces in China, mostly Team B. Recently Chinese choppers were asked to play against CNT women's team in preparation for the WTTC. This fact alone should sum it up for you on where we stand as a style.

_________________
Attackers: "All pips players are cheaters who can't loop, move, or read spin"
Me: I beg your pardon?

Thanks Notfound!

There seem to be quite some new rubbers. First time I hear from Dignics 09C. Looked it up and... 80 euros

This is really crazy. It actually shows the impact (and the real reason?) of the plastic ball: all materials have changed, are 'specialized' for the new balls and prices are higher.

I can still buy Tibhar Evolution or Donic Bluefire etc. for 36 euros, will stick to these kind of rubbers. Might try an old sheet of H3 again, but it's sooo heavy and overall I like better playing with softer rubbers... Thank God I'm not a pro

_________________
Exclusive OOAK-Interview with Joo Saehyuk | Masato Shiono | Panagiotis Gionis

Is it really the ball? Or just people inventing new things (in this case, boosted tacky rubber, which isn't really new - remember Palio Thor's?).

Anyhow... Thinking of trying something new.. To heck with Dignics 09C - maybe this Rakza Z instead. It does cost RM160 (about USD40) locally, and I notice it comes in "Regular" and "Hard". Earlier I was thinking of trying Rakza 7 Soft (which would be in the opposite direction - softer sponge, non tacky) which is a little cheaper - RM130. I had Rakza 7 in the past, it was OK, but you all know what I think of rubbers in general..

Iskandar