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Flared(FL) or Straight(ST)?
- Thread starter tabaradumitru
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I like to put heavy topspin on the ball
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I like to put heavy topspin on the ball
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I used to be straight handle fanatic. But as my technique has been changing and developing over the past few years I have been favoring flared handles
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Straight, it gives you more flexibility when switching from BH to FH topspins, blocks, counters, pushes, chops etc. Dima, Franz and Timo... they all use(d) straight handles, as Waldner used too. Flared ones do not allow for flexibility in switching between all those shots, european straight handle style of play allows for more variations, the asian flared style is more about two wings topspins and counters all the way.
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began with FL for years because it's what you can buy right away, but I switch to ST over 5 years ago. Because i use different rubber in each side (FH spinny/BH Sticky) or (FH spinny/BH Pips) is easier to serve and twiddle right away and mid rally also. Quite comfortable for me not to have that bump, also it's easier to wrap an overgrip if you need to.
if you're hesitant about ST, just get a really cheap blade to see if you like it, i guess it's scary to spend big money on a Professional blade with ST.
if you're hesitant about ST, just get a really cheap blade to see if you like it, i guess it's scary to spend big money on a Professional blade with ST.
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Did it develop in a specific direction, making FL the better choice, or why did it suit better?
says
I like to put heavy topspin on the ball
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I like to put heavy topspin on the ball
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Before I had a firmer grip with more pressure on my ring and middle fingers, choked up more. A more stable method of holding the racket, flared handles made the blade sit strangely in my hand with this grip and I felt like I could not as reliably hit bh topspin without straight handles. But as I was developing more efficient topspin, I started focusing on gripping more through pinching with the index and thumb, and found that flared handles support a more relaxed grip, and nowadays when I try straight handles I feel like I need a more pronounced fh-bh grip transition to comfortably hit effective shots than if I were using a flared handle
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When I started to play TT again after a hiatus of 100 years, the most interesting TT coaching channel on Youtube was ERT / Ping Sunday (Yes I know his reputation now). ERT said all Chinese players used flared. So I use flared (if it's good enough for the best in the world it's good enough for me). I do have an old ST blade. It's just as good and comfortable as my FL ones, maybe even better. But for some psychological reason I can't get myself to buy a ST blade yet.
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FL is the most common to be sold in a TT store, so naturally I have more FL. But if I can get my hand on a ST, I will choose ST as for me, it is more neutral.
However, as I get older, I find that it is not a matter of FL, ST, AN or Conic, but how comfortable the handle is. Certain blades have very good FL but its ST sucks.
In my opinion, Conic (combination of ST and FL) is the middle of the road. Too bad, it is very hard to find Conic handle.
However, as I get older, I find that it is not a matter of FL, ST, AN or Conic, but how comfortable the handle is. Certain blades have very good FL but its ST sucks.
In my opinion, Conic (combination of ST and FL) is the middle of the road. Too bad, it is very hard to find Conic handle.
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Easy! CS grip 😁😁😁
But in actuality, I'd go with FL grip. ST doesn't suit me and doesn't feel nearly as nice as FL.
But in actuality, I'd go with FL grip. ST doesn't suit me and doesn't feel nearly as nice as FL.
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Making a beautiful shot is most important; winning is...
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Making a beautiful shot is most important; winning is...
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ST for me. Easier on the FH to BH transition.
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FL handle for me, I feel more comfortable and fits well - tho it could still depend on the brand on its size. I did try a ST handle and I felt like it'll fly out of my hands on big stroke - maybe because it wasnt as thick.
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I’m a player who uses the backhand a lot, and the flared (FL) handle helps improve my shot consistency. I’m using Viscaria
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These are interesting points. I wonder however, if there ist really a causality there. And if it actually matters for other than top players. I know I find myself thinking »I play more like that and that European player«, thus motivating why I prefer ST. I have also experienced trying a handle from a friend thinking it does not feel god, but after 2 minutes of actual playing, I forgot all about it.
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Generally speaking, it feels like there isn’t much solid research on this. I tried to read up on it quite a bit when looking for a new blade, and I kept running into very confident claims that often contradicted each other. For example, some argue that »ST is better for backhand-oriented players while FL suits forehand play,« whereas others say the exact opposite: »FL is better for aggressive backhand players.«
The same goes for wrist mobility. One explanation says »ST provides greater wrist freedom because the handle tapers at the ends,« versus »FL provides greater wrist freedom because of its slimmer mid-section.« When two explanations point in completely different directions, it’s hard to believe either of them is based on real data.
As @Scarfed Garchomp mentioned, the main grip point might not even be the handle but the blade itself. It would honestly be interesting to know whether any sports science department has ever collected actual measurements on this.
A small anecdote: I’ve seen a Swedish pro player/coach who owns the same blade model in both FL and ST. When I asked about it, he just said he grabbed whichever one was closest and didn’t think about it at all before starting to play.
The same goes for wrist mobility. One explanation says »ST provides greater wrist freedom because the handle tapers at the ends,« versus »FL provides greater wrist freedom because of its slimmer mid-section.« When two explanations point in completely different directions, it’s hard to believe either of them is based on real data.
As @Scarfed Garchomp mentioned, the main grip point might not even be the handle but the blade itself. It would honestly be interesting to know whether any sports science department has ever collected actual measurements on this.
A small anecdote: I’ve seen a Swedish pro player/coach who owns the same blade model in both FL and ST. When I asked about it, he just said he grabbed whichever one was closest and didn’t think about it at all before starting to play.
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That’s why I feel changing grips doesn’t impact too much. It’s just for the added comfort. I’ve always felt more comfortable with FL handles than ST. My earlier post mostly just reflects the “FL for Chinese and ST for European” narrative, but really it’s more for comfort rather than this fixed mindset. I’m sure many Chinese players use ST if they feel that’s most comfortable
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I guess I've missed something...
It's true that ERT's popularity has declined (i don't see any his videos anymore becoming popular anymore) but I haven't read something about him. What you mean "his reputation now"? Has anything become known about him? Because in all his videos, he never revealed his identity...
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Yes! And for me, the feeling of »comfort« or »this will fly out of my hand« only surfaces when gripping the blade off-court. Never during play.
Also read somewhere that as most Chinese players start off at a very young age, FL is the only thing their hands can grasp. Then, they just stick to it because of habit. (Which means, for a kid, the circumference of the midsection of a FL would feel like a [bulky] ST for an adult.)
For me it's the opposite, most handles feel just fine when holding them off-court. Then when I start playing with a blade I feel if it actually works for me or not. Offensive S in FL is a GREAT blade, but it was after playing with it I actually realized that the handle didn't work for me.. The thumb shelf/shoulder is practically not there, very shallow, and the grip is wide but very thin.
People have very different hand sizes, yet many FL handles are very curved, which makes them uncomfortable for those with larger hands. I guess thats a reason for using ST handle.
It's strange that most manufacturers stick to nearly identical handle dimensions. Surely there's a market for handles that are thinner, wider, longer, or otherwise varied. Looking at older blades, there seems to have been much more diversity in handle design. But nowadays, like with rubbers, many of these products are probably made in just a few factories and rebranded under different names.
It's strange that most manufacturers stick to nearly identical handle dimensions. Surely there's a market for handles that are thinner, wider, longer, or otherwise varied. Looking at older blades, there seems to have been much more diversity in handle design. But nowadays, like with rubbers, many of these products are probably made in just a few factories and rebranded under different names.
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