Chen Meng's using W968

[SFF_lib]

It could be a temporary trial . . . . or a permanent change?

 

[lodro]

View attachment 24438

It could be a temporary trial . . . . or a permanent change?

maybe she is playing this old game with Ma Long, we used to play it when we were kids,
it is called " if you show me yours - I will show you mine"

 

[AchyGeorge]

I wonder why? Her game is quite different to ML.
Nice to have option of a free W968 National to try out… Will be interesting to see how it goes, hope she does well with it! She must like it quite a lot to use it in a tournament.

 

[Attitude]

Curious if she still plays with H8 or if she dropped that for H3 as well

 

[SFF_lib]

Curious if she still plays with H8 or if she dropped that for H3 as well

The backside is shiny so likely still H8.

 

[SFF_lib]

I wonder why? Her game is quite different to ML.
Nice to have option of a free W968 National to try out… Will be interesting to see how it goes, hope she does well with it! She must like it quite a lot to use it in a tournament.

Wang Yidi and Sun Yusha's success with W968 probably has some influence.

In this case, among China's top 5 women,

• CM, SYS and WYD use 968
• WMY uses Stiga
• CXT uses Butterfly

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

W968 customized edition, just like everyone else in CNT

 

[Kolev]

The backside is shiny so likely still H8.

I have two black H3 prov. One is as shiny as a gsm screen, the other is pure matte. Theyy really look like different rubbers.

 

[dingyibvs]

W968 customized edition, just like everyone else in CNT

Well, the A teamers, at least. Even if you're not on the A team there are various versions to choose from. There's the regular version that's modeled after Ma Long's blade, which is available to all national team members. Then there's the 968-5 with ebony outer, the 968-6 that's like the HL5X with a thicker core and thinner outers, etc.

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

Well, the A teamers, at least. Even if you're not on the A team there are various versions to choose from. There's the regular version that's modeled after Ma Long's blade, which is available to all national team members. Then there's the 968-5 with ebony outer, the 968-6 that's like the HL5X with a thicker core and thinner outers, etc.

Oh, i'm not talking about those
I'm talking about W968 player edition (can say ma long edition then customized for each player)

 

[dingyibvs]

Oh, i'm not talking about those
I'm talking about W968 player edition (not ma long edition)

You mean those made for specific players? They're only available for the very top players, the ones who regularly play in international competitions. Most members of the CNT come and go, many stay on the CNT for only a few weeks before getting kicked back down to the provincial level. They don't get blades specifically made for them, but they can pick from one of the ready made ones. They do get quite a number of blades to pick from, but they're not specifically made for them.

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

You mean those made for specific players? They're only available for the very top players, the ones who regularly play in international competitions. Most members of the CNT come and go, many stay on the CNT for only a few weeks before getting kicked back down to the provincial level. They don't get blades specifically made for them, but they can pick from one of the ready made ones. They do get quite a number of blades to pick from, but they're not specifically made for them.

This thread is about Chen Meng,
She has a tailor-made (this is DHS's own term) W968

 

[dingyibvs]

This thread is about Chen Meng,
She has a tailor-made (this is DHS's own term) W968

My original reply was to this: "W968 customized edition, just like everyone else in CNT", which clearly refers to "everyone else in CNT". I'm simply pointing out that "everyone else" does not have a customized W968, only players with enough fame to attract sponsorships, like Chen Meng, can get it.

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

My original reply was to this: "W968 customized edition, just like everyone else in CNT", which clearly refers to "everyone else in CNT". I'm simply pointing out that "everyone else" does not have a customized W968, only players with enough fame to attract sponsorships, like Chen Meng, can get it.

okay, let me add a bit more text, since my initial comment was not for you, but for those that think Chen Meng is using the "Ma Long" version.
So a lot of players have customized blades and rubbers by DHS, it is not just your all star/super stars.

W968 has many tailor-made versions.
Chen Meng would have her own, so that would be different to the one that Ma Long has.

Now to answer you, CNT A is over 20 players per gender, so say 50. B team is another 50.
Not all of them use this blade, but since other DHS blades also have tailor-made options.... I am very confident to say, most of them have them have tailored to a certain extent, at least in the A team.

So to assume, only few with "fame" could get this tailored, is not necessary correct. Or atleast not in the case of DHS.
Its actually very easy to tailor-made. I know Butterfly players that have "non branded/badge" tailor made blades and one of them is in her late 30s and out of the world top 50 or 100 for maybe 5 years+. I think highest world rank ever was top 20. I had a Xiom tailor-made for one of my sponsored players in South Africa too. She was at best 200 in the world.

Speaking about that, here is a list of tailor made (player edition) rubbers that was made available to me (I don't have a blade list in such detail, but rubber list you can see you don't need to be an fame super star)

G-WC----红双喜王楚钦国套正手	G-WC-DHS HURRICANE 3 PLAYER EDITION (Wang Chuqin FOREHAND)
G-WC-B--红双喜王楚钦国套反手	G-WC-B-DHS HURRICANE 3 PLAYER EDITION (Wang Chuqin BACKHAND)
G-SY----红双喜孙颖莎国套正手	G-SY-DHS HURRICANE 3 PLAYER EDITION (Sun Yingsha FOREHAND)
G-SY-B--红双喜孙颖莎国套反手	G-SY-B-DHS HURRICANE 3 PLAYER EDITION (Sun Yingsha BACKHAND)
G-XP----红双喜向鹏国套正手	G-XP-DHS HURRICANE 3 PLAYER EDITION (Xiang Peng FOREHAND)
G-XP-B--红双喜向鹏国套反手	G-XP-B-DHS HURRICANE 3 PLAYER EDITION (Xiang Peng BACKHAND)
G-KM----红双喜蒯曼国套正手	G-KM-DHS HURRICANE 3 PLAYER EDITION (Kuai Man FOREHAND)
G-ZYD---红双喜张煜东国套正手	G-ZYD-DHS HURRICANE 3 PLAYER EDITION (Zhang Yudong FOREHAND)
G-ZYD-B-红双喜张煜东国套反手	G-ZYD-B DHS HURRICANE 3 PLAYER EDITION (Zhang Yudong BACKHAND)
G-QTY---红双喜钱天一国套正手	G-QTY-DHS HURRICANE 3 PLAYER EDITION (Qian Tian Yi FOREHAND)
G-ZR----红双喜张瑞国套正手	G-ZR-DHS HURRICANE 3 PLAYER EDITION (Zhang Rui FOREHAND)
G-QYX---红双喜覃予萱国套正手	G-QYX-DHS HURRICANE 3 PLAYER EDITION (Qin Yu Xuan FOREHAND)

 

[AchyGeorge]

Chen Meng is obviously good enough that she can have whatever she wants made for her by DHS (or probably any other manufacturer). Is the suggestion that the Chen Meng (or any other named player) W968 is very different to the Ma Long ones or only very subtly different?
Maybe they are drawn from the pool that Ma Long rejected 🤣
If they’re very different are they really still W968?

 

[thomas.pong]

Several Korean national team players even have blades specifically made for them by DHS, with their name engraved on the other side.

 

[dingyibvs]

okay, let me add a bit more text, since my initial comment was not for you, but for those that think Chen Meng is using the "Ma Long" version.
So a lot of players have customized blades and rubbers by DHS, it is not just your all star/super stars.

W968 has many tailor-made versions.
Chen Meng would have her own, so that would be different to the one that Ma Long has.

Now to answer you, CNT A is over 20 players per gender, so say 50. B team is another 50.
Not all of them use this blade, but since other DHS blades also have tailor-made options.... I am very confident to say, most of them have them have tailored to a certain extent, at least in the A team.

So to assume, only few with "fame" could get this tailored, is not necessary correct. Or atleast not in the case of DHS.
Its actually very easy to tailor-made. I know Butterfly players that have "non branded/badge" tailor made blades and one of them is in her late 30s and out of the world top 50 or 100 for maybe 5 years+. I think highest world rank ever was top 20. I had a Xiom tailor-made for one of my sponsored players in South Africa too. She was at best 200 in the world.

Speaking about that, here is a list of tailor made (player edition) rubbers that was made available to me (I don't have a blade list in such detail, but rubber list you can see you don't need to be an fame super star)

G-WC----红双喜王楚钦国套正手	G-WC-DHS HURRICANE 3 PLAYER EDITION (Wang Chuqin FOREHAND)
G-WC-B--红双喜王楚钦国套反手	G-WC-B-DHS HURRICANE 3 PLAYER EDITION (Wang Chuqin BACKHAND)
G-SY----红双喜孙颖莎国套正手	G-SY-DHS HURRICANE 3 PLAYER EDITION (Sun Yingsha FOREHAND)
G-SY-B--红双喜孙颖莎国套反手	G-SY-B-DHS HURRICANE 3 PLAYER EDITION (Sun Yingsha BACKHAND)
G-XP----红双喜向鹏国套正手	G-XP-DHS HURRICANE 3 PLAYER EDITION (Xiang Peng FOREHAND)
G-XP-B--红双喜向鹏国套反手	G-XP-B-DHS HURRICANE 3 PLAYER EDITION (Xiang Peng BACKHAND)
G-KM----红双喜蒯曼国套正手	G-KM-DHS HURRICANE 3 PLAYER EDITION (Kuai Man FOREHAND)
G-ZYD---红双喜张煜东国套正手	G-ZYD-DHS HURRICANE 3 PLAYER EDITION (Zhang Yudong FOREHAND)
G-ZYD-B-红双喜张煜东国套反手	G-ZYD-B DHS HURRICANE 3 PLAYER EDITION (Zhang Yudong BACKHAND)
G-QTY---红双喜钱天一国套正手	G-QTY-DHS HURRICANE 3 PLAYER EDITION (Qian Tian Yi FOREHAND)
G-ZR----红双喜张瑞国套正手	G-ZR-DHS HURRICANE 3 PLAYER EDITION (Zhang Rui FOREHAND)
G-QYX---红双喜覃予萱国套正手	G-QYX-DHS HURRICANE 3 PLAYER EDITION (Qin Yu Xuan FOREHAND)

Rubbers are not tailor made, they're specifically selected. Each player has specific requirements for hardness, thickness, etc. and DHS will select the sheets that meet each player's requirement.

Several Korean national team players even have blades specifically made for them by DHS, with their name engraved on the other side.

Right, that's why I said fame and not skill level/world rankings. They're famous players in Korea, a big TT market. What I said are not my assumptions, but based on what ex-CNT player Yin Hang said. The procedure for players like him to get a 968 is to fill out a form, get it signed by his coach and the head coach, then he gets to pick one up. He doesn't get to specify his requirements to DHS and get one specially made for him.

I suspect Butterfly does things similarly. They may special make blades for players sponsored by them, which will obviously be based on fame, but they won't do it just because you're good. Yin Hang no doubt was better than the lady Tony knows, but he says he and his teammates bought all their Butterfly blades as well as rubbers from the market.

 

[Zwill]

I don't find this very surprising. She used to play with Carbonado 45, many female players moved from Carbonado 45 to W968.
They have similar bounce properties, just that W968 is a woven inner carbon blade while Carbonado 45 is a pure carbon outer, so I suppose W968 gives more options.

 

[TensorBackhand]

I don't find this very surprising. She used to play with Carbonado 45, many female players moved from Carbonado 45 to W968.
They have similar bounce properties, just that W968 is a woven inner carbon blade while Carbonado 45 is a pure carbon outer, so I suppose W968 gives more options.

Why would those 2 blades be similar if construction is different?

 

[Zwill]

Why would those 2 blades be similar if construction is different?

Well the construction is different but not too different.
Carbonado 45 is limba, textreme, ayous, ayous, ayous, textreme, limba
W968 is limba, ayous, A-C, ayous, A-C, ayous, limba construction.

Stiga and DHS use the same head shape. While C45 is more elastic than a normal HL5, I find W968 also more elastic than a HL5. So W968 and C45 should be very close.
W968 is more flexible so you can "whip" it more and because it's an inner blade you can take the pace of the ball better with it if need be, which is why I say it gives more options.

Carbonado 45 is probably more bouncy on a plain bounce test, and a bit more suitable for players with less power.