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Technical specifications:
Name: Sanwei Target National Gordanga / Sanwei Target National - Player Edition
Colours: Black / Red
Hardness: Mid‑Hard 39° / Mid‑Soft 37° (Reviewed)
Top-Sheet: Mid-tacky (Half-sticky)
Sponge: 2.1mm Grey EnergyX cake sponge
Manufacturer ratings:
Sanwei recently sent over their new Target National Gordanga rubber for me to try and it’s fair to say I was a very happy puppy when I received that email 😊. I’ve been a fan of Sanwei’s Target National ever since it replaced my worn-out Butterfly Tenergy 25 on a Senkoh 1 Jpen — more than 12 years ago! A lot has changed in rubber technology since then.
I’ve observed a huge growth in the market for hybrid rubbers – those that marry the characteristics of sticky / tacky Chinese-style rubbers, with relatively ‘bouncy’, responsive sponges compared to the classical ‘dead’ feel of the 729 Super FX and the DHS Hurricane 3.
As part of my review, I also asked Sanwei a few questions. Answers have been edited for readability and flow.
and started to reevaluate my skills in rubber assembly...!
The silver lining? The special grey EnergyX Cake Sponge proved extremely durable, handling repeated regluing throughout my entire ordeal without any damage. Feels like Sanwei had made the sponge even more durable than the Target National rubber top sheets! I've long known the Target National series rubbers as being absolute monsters in the durability department. You can play with visible marks all over the top sheet and you can still get plenty of spin which led one of my friends to quip, “A Target is a forever-rubber.”
Playing experience:
Once I finally got the rubber properly on (with 3 layers of glue!), I took it out for a whirl. Topspin drives were fast and spinny, zinging with a low arc on the table like I hoped they would. original Target National, the arc is slightly higher, giving a welcome safety margin.
I’ve been playing with short pips (729 802-40 35 degree super soft sponge version) for the past 4 months. Despite that, I was able to adjust very quickly. Shots were crisp and direct with enough balance in the throw level to clear the net more comfortably with offensive shots without needing a high level of precision like their OG Target National seems to need. This rubber has excellent levels of control and I could quite easily place the ball where I wanted to during offensive rallies.
Chopping was perhaps of the areas this rubber seemed to struggle with – at least from the experience of other friends who tried it. They couldn’t generate the levels of backspin they wanted.
I tried out touch play near the net and that was pleasingly excellent. It’s easy to control placement and speed, especially when you want to try drop shots close to table edge.
Sanwei positions this review rubber (Mid‑Soft 37°) as the ‘best backhand rubber’. I’d argue it’s also a great forehand rubber choice for control-orientated players wanting to dictate rallies with their forehand while looking for opportunities to initiate counter attacks. Alternatively, players can choose the harder version (Mid‑Hard 39°) for higher speed potential to finish off points.
Note, despite being classed as Mid‑Soft 37°, the EnergyX cake sponge in my review rubber would still get classed as ‘hard’ by most non-National-level players in Western countries.
Overall ratings
Speed: 8/10 (a touch faster than the Sanwei Gear Hyper, slower than the Xiom Vega Euro H, and well below the Nittaku Genextion’s pace)
Smashing: 10/10 (flat hits were dangerous, easy to execute and you can be more precise with smashes compared against high catapult-effect aka bouncy rubbers)
Blocking: 9/10 (Very good at helping you keep your returns low and fast. Punch blocking was pretty effortless)
Spin: 9/10 (Brushing the ball puts tremendous spin on your strokes)
Control: 10/10 (Stick it on your backhand, close your eyes, and swing) 😀
Chopping: 5/10 (Just maybe don’t use as the main chopping rubber for a defensive setup!)
Throw angle: The throw angle is medium-low—higher than the Sanwei Target National, but lower than the Sanwei Gear Hyper, Vega Europe H, and Nittaku Genextion.
Closing thoughts:
I was excited to try a Target National again after replacing it with other hybrid rubbers for my forehand due to the relatively low margin for error it had. This edition didn’t disappoint me at all. If you found the Target National too hard to use then I wholeheartedly recommend using this. It could also be better than the Sanwei Gear Hyper in terms of the balance between control, speed and spin.
I'll add video feedback to this review too.
I’d recommend the new Sanwei Target National Gordanga to many levels of players including EJs looking for their next rubber ‘fix’.
Name: Sanwei Target National Gordanga / Sanwei Target National - Player Edition
Colours: Black / Red
Hardness: Mid‑Hard 39° / Mid‑Soft 37° (Reviewed)
Top-Sheet: Mid-tacky (Half-sticky)
Sponge: 2.1mm Grey EnergyX cake sponge
Manufacturer ratings:
- Speed: 13 (Mid-Hard version) | 11 (Mid-Soft version)
- Spin: 12 (Mid-Hard version) | 13 (Mid-Soft version)
Sanwei recently sent over their new Target National Gordanga rubber for me to try and it’s fair to say I was a very happy puppy when I received that email 😊. I’ve been a fan of Sanwei’s Target National ever since it replaced my worn-out Butterfly Tenergy 25 on a Senkoh 1 Jpen — more than 12 years ago! A lot has changed in rubber technology since then.
I’ve observed a huge growth in the market for hybrid rubbers – those that marry the characteristics of sticky / tacky Chinese-style rubbers, with relatively ‘bouncy’, responsive sponges compared to the classical ‘dead’ feel of the 729 Super FX and the DHS Hurricane 3.
As part of my review, I also asked Sanwei a few questions. Answers have been edited for readability and flow.
- How long was the R&D process?
Since the development of Target National in 2015, we’ve been dedicated to expanding its range, creating more varieties of rubber to suit players with different styles.
- What characteristics did Sanwei focus on when developing it?
The sponge in the Player Edition is significantly softer than that of the Target National, with 20% larger holes, making it more control oriented.
- What player feedback was factored into the product?
Drawing on the preferences of many top Chinese players, who now favour less sticky rubbers, we’ve refined the formula to substantially reduce error rates.
- How was the name and logo created?
The name speaks for itself: a rubber developed for players' needs. The logo, provided by a Brazilian influencer with whom we share a close relationship, reflects this commitment.
and started to reevaluate my skills in rubber assembly...! The silver lining? The special grey EnergyX Cake Sponge proved extremely durable, handling repeated regluing throughout my entire ordeal without any damage. Feels like Sanwei had made the sponge even more durable than the Target National rubber top sheets! I've long known the Target National series rubbers as being absolute monsters in the durability department. You can play with visible marks all over the top sheet and you can still get plenty of spin which led one of my friends to quip, “A Target is a forever-rubber.”
Playing experience:
Once I finally got the rubber properly on (with 3 layers of glue!), I took it out for a whirl. Topspin drives were fast and spinny, zinging with a low arc on the table like I hoped they would. original Target National, the arc is slightly higher, giving a welcome safety margin.
I’ve been playing with short pips (729 802-40 35 degree super soft sponge version) for the past 4 months. Despite that, I was able to adjust very quickly. Shots were crisp and direct with enough balance in the throw level to clear the net more comfortably with offensive shots without needing a high level of precision like their OG Target National seems to need. This rubber has excellent levels of control and I could quite easily place the ball where I wanted to during offensive rallies.
Chopping was perhaps of the areas this rubber seemed to struggle with – at least from the experience of other friends who tried it. They couldn’t generate the levels of backspin they wanted.
I tried out touch play near the net and that was pleasingly excellent. It’s easy to control placement and speed, especially when you want to try drop shots close to table edge.
Sanwei positions this review rubber (Mid‑Soft 37°) as the ‘best backhand rubber’. I’d argue it’s also a great forehand rubber choice for control-orientated players wanting to dictate rallies with their forehand while looking for opportunities to initiate counter attacks. Alternatively, players can choose the harder version (Mid‑Hard 39°) for higher speed potential to finish off points.
Note, despite being classed as Mid‑Soft 37°, the EnergyX cake sponge in my review rubber would still get classed as ‘hard’ by most non-National-level players in Western countries.
Overall ratings
Speed: 8/10 (a touch faster than the Sanwei Gear Hyper, slower than the Xiom Vega Euro H, and well below the Nittaku Genextion’s pace)
Smashing: 10/10 (flat hits were dangerous, easy to execute and you can be more precise with smashes compared against high catapult-effect aka bouncy rubbers)
Blocking: 9/10 (Very good at helping you keep your returns low and fast. Punch blocking was pretty effortless)
Spin: 9/10 (Brushing the ball puts tremendous spin on your strokes)
Control: 10/10 (Stick it on your backhand, close your eyes, and swing) 😀
Chopping: 5/10 (Just maybe don’t use as the main chopping rubber for a defensive setup!)
Throw angle: The throw angle is medium-low—higher than the Sanwei Target National, but lower than the Sanwei Gear Hyper, Vega Europe H, and Nittaku Genextion.
Closing thoughts:
I was excited to try a Target National again after replacing it with other hybrid rubbers for my forehand due to the relatively low margin for error it had. This edition didn’t disappoint me at all. If you found the Target National too hard to use then I wholeheartedly recommend using this. It could also be better than the Sanwei Gear Hyper in terms of the balance between control, speed and spin.
I'll add video feedback to this review too.
I’d recommend the new Sanwei Target National Gordanga to many levels of players including EJs looking for their next rubber ‘fix’.
