Help finding a good setup for an intermediate player

Eldrick Lim said:

You can try considering Yasaka Ma Lin Carbon. It provides good control and and great feeling. Speed is also great. As for rubber you can choose rubbers like Rakza 7 or rubbers from the Donic Acuda or Bluefire series. Choose them according to the sponge hardness of your own preference.

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I am not sure if I am a fan of carbon blades. I was considering the Yasaka Ma Lin Extra Offensive over the Carbon (thoughts?). Right now I am also considering Yasaka Sweden Extra and Xiom Offensive S.

As for rubbers, I am considering Donic Acuda, Xiom Vega Europe, and Rakza 7. Having a hard time deciding on a combo!

Archosaurus said:

1000 USATT? 1000 is intermediate?

You might do better with a beginner setup than a true intermediate setup if you have control issues as you say.

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It is hard for me to guestimate my rating. I play with 1800-2400 players quite often, but I am just not used to match play (which might be why I often lose to lower rating players). These players indicate that my form is good and that I should stick to a relatively fast setup rather than "downgrading" to something too slow.

That said, I think that I definitely need to slow it down a bit and get a blade that gives me better control so I am not relying so much on the blade/rubber itself

Kelpo said:

The Yinhe W6 is a really good blade. Great control and got me really far. I know vega europe is good as well. Vega pro is harder to use for many, but it is really good as well.

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Thanks! I wasn't considering it before but someone else also strongly recommended it. Would you recommend Xiom Vega Europe on it, or did you find success with something else?

Kelpo said:

Vega Europe on it has really good control. That is what I used on it last. Vega Europe is a very soft rubber, and not everyone likes that. But if you want a soft rubber, than vega Europe is the way to go in my opinion.

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Thanks! I might actually try that. I'm not sure if I'll like soft rubber to be honest, but I liked Tenergy 05 (I'm assuming that is considered soft?) The question is whether or not I should use it on both FH and BH (both are offensive, but I counterhit and flick more on the backhand side, whereas I loop more on the FH) and what sponge thickness to use.

laistrogian said:

You probably can just go with Waldner Ultra senso carbon with EL-S forehand and EL-P backhand.

I don't recommend going with tenergy since in the first place you doesn't seem like someone who will break his / her pocket to buy that rubber continuously.

The setup that I recommended to you is something you can use forever. It'll be a tad too fast in the beginning but it's not hard to get used to it with constant training and playing.

If carl reads what I recommended to you probably he thinks I'm somewhat crazy recommending a carbon blade to 1000 player but the balls are just slow these days and for players who don't practice like crazy or aim to become more than 2000-ish, just getting used to a small sweetspot takes a long time

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Thanks for the advice! I wasn't considering Tenergy to begin with, I just liked the feel of it when I tried it out. I am really not sure if I should risk it and get something fast or get something slow and work on my form. That leads to my response to carl's comment..

UpSideDownCarl said:

T05 is a medium hardness rubber harder than soft. Softer than hard.

Vega Europe is medium soft so, softer than T05.

If you trying to slow things down for control, choose something simple and basic.

laistrogian did get me to laugh with what he wrote in the end.

Based on what you have said about your playing it is hard to tell what would be best for you.

Can we see some footage of you doing a few training drills. If your technique is better than your game skill level there are more options.

But maybe what you need is a real control rubber regardless of what blade. Something like Nexy Karis M where the rubber is kind of slow but you get what you put into it. So you can get massive spin when you loop if your technique is good enough. But it makes short game and over the table play (game skill stuff) way easier because of how much control and how linear the rubber is.

If you put that on a faster all wood blade like a Tibhar Stratus Power Wood, it may be good for you based on some of the stuff you have said.

But, again, it really is hard to say without seeing.


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Taking video footage is a wonderful idea! I will try that the next time I play if I can get someone to film. The coach at the club I go to says that my backhand is beautiful, but I don't follow through enough on my forehand because my blade is too fast for me. He has a kind of strange coaching technique, though, and other 2000+ players have told me that my forehand is also very good. But anyways, I think I'll take a video and see what you peeps can make of it

chuckjordan2 said:

Where in the US are you located? Some East and West Coast areas have higher concentrations of good players. Some could analyze your form and correct form too.

Answering some of the basics (age, shape, other sports, etc) can help. Also how long have you been playing?

Recommend you try more rackets at your club before buying. Bring a notepad and note the rubbers and blades you try (or remember them).

What's wrong with the Dawei Matrix? I know you said control, however, is that due to the blade or rubber? Do you know how to glue up rubbers? Maybe buying a pair og 729 General rubbers in 1.5 can slow down the ball and you can gain some control.

The rubbers you noted (tensors) may have too much bounce this early in your TT game. You may want to focus on Chinese rubbers with a 1.5 sponge. Something like Palio CJ8000 in 1.5. If you glue them to your Matrix, you may find your form and control.

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Ah that's a fair point. I am on the east coast and I have had encounters with many great players (most of which just use really fast setups and don't have much advice to give me).

I am 20, very slim but somewhat athletic and also play some tennis. My local club is very small and mostly only has players that are 60+. The coach has a "unique" style of play and I just could not get used to his teaching. I am still always asking players I play with what setups they use and if I can try them, but the players at the club usually use very light and defensive setups that aren't suited to me.

I wouldn't say anything is "wrong" with the Dawei Matrix. Just has a small sweet spot and seems very hard and fast to me. Based on the reviews I wouldn't have expected it to be so fast, and the coach (who did the gluing for me and actually picked out a rubber for me) had to take off what he had put on at first and swap it for Innovo because it was simply too fast (as fast as the DHS Hurricane with Tenergy 05 I was using).

I have no idea what that was all about. I decided maybe spending a bit more on a better quality blade with greater control and a larger sweet spot might do me some good. I could be totally wrong, of course. I am considering just buying a Yasaka Extra or Yinhe W-6 or the like (I can get the latter for under $20 so might as well experiment) just to see what the difference in speed actually is

So I get that I should probably stay away from tensors, but assuming I get a slower blade what rubber might you recommend that isn't too hard or sticky (I never liked the feel of those) and will allow me to develop my overall game (looping, blocking, counterhitting, etc.)?