Karl with a C:
hahaha.
Yep. You are right. But it is just an exaggerating force on the fact that mid-level players have seemed to be using equipment not appropriate for their level for quite a long time. This is why Butterfly keeps coming out with these crazy $450.00 SZLC blades that no pros will use but mediocre level players seem to love spending the rent (or their parents rent) on.
Now they are just doing it with harder rubbers as well.
Now, there are some players who can use those harder rubbers. I know the kind of impact and contact NextLevel gets makes those harder rubbers perfect for how he plays.
There is a huge difference between an H3 boosted and a glue effect, spring sponge type rubber that is also crazy hard. H3 gives you a huge amount of control to make so it is easy to really make big, deep, powerful contact without losing control. That should not be a problem.
But mid level players developing their technique, not so strong, using crazy hard glue effect rubbers, I am not sure. I could be wrong. But.....
Years ago, a two separate friends who were both on cadet national teams from their home countries when they were kids, separately, to the same question from me, told me: "when I was on the team, the coach would just give us equipment that we should use. It was a soft, 5 ply, all wood blade, with good flex, and medium soft rubbers that were easy to control."
That was two people playing top 5 in their country in U18, that is what they were given to develop their skills: a Grubba with Sriver EL (that was one) and a Primorac with Sriver FX.
And at that point they were notably higher level than USATT 1900.
I mean, it is also worth noting that, at 15, when ML was number 5 in the world, he was using a Nittaku Acoustic.
Look at how he ripped the ball at 15! His shots were faster back then than they are now, even though he was using a moderate speed blade.