Do I need to upgrade my TT bat for the 40mm ball?

[Pani]

Friends,
I am new to this forum. I have been playing TT at an amateur level for sometime now. My main racket is a regular Mark V on both FH and BH on a Butterfly Jonyer Hinoki blade. My style of play is conservative offensive. BH is primarily for chopping, blocking and occasional flat kills. FH is for attacking with topspin and loops. Mark V has served well on both sides in general.

Recently with the introduction of the new 40mm ball there have been multiple suggestions to me to upgrade the racket in order to be more effective.
I have couple of questions:
1. Does the 40mm ball pose a higher challenge on traditional rubbers like Mark V and older blades like Butterfly Jonyer ?
2. I have done a bit of research and turns out that Yasaka Rakza 7 is a good modern rubber to try out for a Mark V player. What is the opinion here ?
If I do get the Rakza, should I look for different blade too ? I am not going to try carbon blades since it will be too much of variance for me to handle. I was thinking of good modern wood blades from Yasaka may be ? Just thinking aloud for the suitability of 40mm balls.

What do you guys suggest ?

 

[UpSideDownCarl]

When you are talking about the 40mm ball, do you mean the old 40mm Celluloid ball which was in use from 2000-2014. Or the new 40+ (larger than 40mm) Poly ball.

I am going to assume you mean the 40+ P ball since that is now the standard and the only new ball. (2000 is now new).

That blade is fine for the 40+ P ball. I have a friend who uses that blade and had no trouble with either the 40mm C Ball or the 40+ P Ball. He plays at a pretty high level.

Also, Mark V as a rubber, it is a little slow but it grabs the P Ball remarkably well and gets great spin. So boosting it could be an effective solution and might be worth trying. That rubber was awesome with speed glue when that was legal. It should be decent boosted. But boosting is a hassle. I would think about getting something like Rakza 7. That would be a decent rubber.

But that blade you have is special. It is an amazing blade for looping. It is not great for flat hitting but very few blades grab the ball as well as a Jonyer. If I was you, I would keep using that blade.


Sent from the Subterranean Workshop by Telepathy

 

[Broken]

I agree with everything that UpSideDownCarl said, but would like to add that you don't _have_ to change your equipment because somebody else say so.

Faster rubbers does not have to mean that you play better. Having good control should not be underestimated. I know at least 2 players that play and compete with Mark V at a fairly high level. Sure, they probably boost their rubbers, as UpSideDownCarl suggested, but that does not mean that you must.

Keep the blade for sure and if you want to really try a new rubber then go for Yasaka Rakza 7 for your forehand, but maybe keep the Mark V for your backhand, since what you wrote suggest to me that your forehand is more developed than your backhand?

 

[UpSideDownCarl]

I know some guys who use Mark V at a pretty high level too. It is a great rubber. So I agree, 100% with what Broken has written on that. New rubber would be to try the new stuff. But you actually have a great setup.


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[Airoc]

multiple suggestions to me to upgrade the racket in order to be more effective.

We have one team in the fourth league of Germany. None of the players has changed a thing.

In theory, you have to hit a little harder with the plastic balls and rubbers with harder sponges but softer topsheets are coming out.

In amateur real life, stick to what you have and have fun practicing.