Benedikt Duda, new Rubber?

[Nils007]

Hello, today at the WTT event in Chongqing, I noticed that Duda was using a rubber with an orange sponge. I thought Victas exclusively used white sponges. Is this a rubber from another brand, or has Victas developed a new rubber?

 

[Nils007]

 

[Robin0910]

Bump. Is Victas gonna release a new rubber soon?

 

[mikeytt]

Bump. Is Victas gonna release a new rubber soon?

good eyes, thats interesting they recently released a new blade line called Gladius and a lot of new shirts but no rubbers, lets keep an eye out

 

[vossi39]

Well. If he is playing an official tournament, the rubber needs to be on the ITTF racket coverings list. But there is no new rubber added.

 

[Nils007]

Well. If he is playing an official tournament, the rubber needs to be on the ITTF racket coverings list. But there is no new rubber added.

This is very strange. But it wouldn't make any sense for Duda to be using a rubber from another brand. So is he using an old Victas rubber? In any case, I don't know of any with an orange sponge.

 

[backspacer]

Maybe I'm mistaking him for someone else, but I read he has not been happy with his equipment lately so that would explain the change.

 

[Julzig]

Victas pimple Rubbers have yellow/orange-ish sponges xD

My other theory would be that the topsheet is the same as an existing Victas rubber and only the sponge underneath is different. This should be allowed right?

Would be interesting to know if he is allowed to play other brands aswell.
Stiga for example has a similar colored sponge.

Looking at some footage, it can only be v15, v01 or v402 topsheet, because the approval code is on the left. All the others have it on the right side, if we are talking about Victas. Most likely v15.

 

[Nils007]

Maybe I'm mistaking him for someone else, but I read he has not been happy with his equipment lately so that would explain the change.

Recently, Duda looked frustrated at his racket multiple times during two Bundesliga matches. However, I had the impression that he was not satisfied with the black side. Overall, it would still be strange because he has been most successful with this racket setup so far.

 

[Airoc]

This should be allowed right?

Yes.

 

[Airoc]

Overall, it would still be strange because he has been most successful with this racket setup so far.

Even amongst the pro rubbers there can be some bad apples.
They will not be as bad as those that appear in mass production, but then a player at that level would quite probably be more sensitive to slight imperfections ;-)

 

[Airoc]

The truth is very simple.
Sponge in selected hardness temporarily unavailabe in white, so yellow was used instead.
(according to someone who works for Victas)
It´s the same rubber after all.