Does training with a certain ball matter?

[FrenchFrog33]

Will training with the same ball as the tournament's ball really matter?
For example..the tournament uses Butterfly balls and you train with DHS balls.
Will it affect your play?

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

for high level players, every fine detail, including that of training with the match balls, matters.

for lower level players, the level gap won't change with the correct ball.

Balls is quite a thorough part of the preparation and most hobby players probably don't understand how import the ball process is, ie selecting balls before the match.

 

[rbtitco]

Tables matter too

 

[Tyce]

Will training with the same ball as the tournament's ball really matter?
For example..the tournament uses Butterfly balls and you train with DHS balls.
Will it affect your play?

Some balls are more bouncy, some are better spinners, some get slick really fast and some shed dust like dandruff... But except for Butterfly most balls that are actually tournament legal are relatively close to each other. Butterfly has more bounce and sounds different.

But yeah, then there's tables, floors... Lots of stuff affects the trajectory of a ball. Best option for is hobby players is to arrive early and warm up a lot.

 

[Yurifi]

Will training with the same ball as the tournament's ball really matter?
For example..the tournament uses Butterfly balls and you train with DHS balls.
Will it affect your play?

yes. but tables also affect play. we used to practice with practice balls and switch to tournament a couple of days prior to the tournament, if it was nationals, even sooner ...
i.e.; Tibhar competition ball and DHS competition ball have completely different bounce. furthermore - I didn't believe in this, but as said before - tables affect the ball bounce a lot, and some great balls, Nittaku i.e., bounce like the worst one star balls on Tibhar Smash 28R tables. I was flabbergasted how bad it was ...

 

[Brs]

No. If really matter means will it alter match wins and losses, No.

 

[NextLevel]

No. If really matter means will it alter match wins and losses, No.

I disagree. It clearly does, the question is the difference in preparation and level of the players. Certain balls play to certain strengths and weaknesses, and these can be issues depending on specific styles and how close in level the players are. I find I personally struggle when switching between the Nittaku Premium ABS and Butterfy A40+, for example.

 

[Brs]

I disagree. It clearly does, the question is the difference in preparation and level of the players. Certain balls play to certain strengths and weaknesses, and these can be issues depending on specific styles and how close in level the players are. I find I personally struggle when switching between the Nittaku Premium ABS and Butterfy A40+, for example.

I haven't seen a bty ball in forever. they used to suck, so maybe still a bigger difference there.

obvs it depends how tight the margins are where OP plays his tournaments.

I was playing a meaningless league match a while ago with a regular opponent. the Nittaku 3* we were using broke, so I asked if he wanted to continue with one of the 38mm balls I bought as a novelty to reach the $ value for free shipping. we re-warmed up with it for less than five minutes, then continued the match with no obvious change in either of our levels.

So, does training with the tournament ball really matter? it depends, is the answer, just like it usually is on here.

 

[Airoc]

then there's tables, floors...

size of the venue...

With plastic balls the interaction between table and ball has gained importance, so tournament preparation for professionals should include the tables used, and for really big events it has been said the Chinese would even mimic the venue including characteristics like air condition. Could be one of many myths, though.

For amateurs, practicing with the opponents´ ball could be an own goal. If you practice with their ball B on your tables A you might find that their ball B on their tables B bounces similarly to your ball A on your own tables A.

Years ago we tested two balls from the same brand on different tables. The seamless variant was super on one brand of tables and a catastrophe on the other, while the seamed was the exact opposite.

I don´t know the correct terms for the different kinds of tables, but they would translate as "slip tables" and "stop tables."

That said, getting used to a ball can help, but there´s no guarantee.

 

[lightspin]

In ancient times with the 38mm ball, all 3 star balls played similarly. In modern times, every 40+ ball plays so differently that I would only practice with the brand of ball used at a particular tournament I was preparing for. This also goes for the pros I know personally. Nittaku, Gewo, Joola, DHS and Butterfly all feel and play dramatically differently. It will take some time to get used to each ball. It is better to do that in the training hall, rather than lose a few matches early on in the tournament that you probably should have won.

 

[Yuomay]

Anyway, if your shot selection is not good, the ball doesn’t matter.

The only obvious importance of type of table and ball, in my opinion for amateurs up to intermediates, is when you try to serve short.
Or more generally when you try to keep the game closed. It’s much harder on faster tables and with balls that “bounce” more..

 

[vanjr]

The ball is important, that said there are SO MANY other variables (table, opponents equipment, opponents stroke, elevation, humidity, etc) that I am a firm believer in using a variety of balls to get used to variation. IMHO.

 

[burakins]

IMO it is just important when you play a match seriously, If you do training it is better to use variety of many balls for adaptation to different situations.

 

[Jslick89]

IMO it is just important when you play a match seriously, If you do training it is better to use variety of many balls for adaptation to different situations.

such an important point. The locals at my club only want to play nittaku balls. but what happens if they go to a tournament and the offical ball is xiom or DHS? not smart to only be able to play with one type of ball.

 

[Lazer]

Since you can’t select the ball you play with, I don’t think about this anymore. When I train we have all different kinds of balls in all kinds of different conditions.
I can tell there is small difference but it doesn’t matter anymore…

What matters more is your state of mind.
- Are you calm and composed
- Is your head really turned on
- Have you strengthened your self confidence during warmup…

Cheers
L-zr

 

[GOAT 🐐]

Will training with the same ball as the tournament's ball really matter?
For example..the tournament uses Butterfly balls and you train with DHS balls.
Will it affect your play?

Yes, very much actually. The ball can completely change the feel and if the ball is going to slip off your rubber. Balls such as DHS and double fish are made for hurricane 3 and this wouldn’ cause it to slip and would make it fantastic to plat with. Meanwhile Joola balls slips sometimes when loop using hurricane 3 as it’s made with different formulation of plastic. My favorite balls are still the ones from double fish

 

[Yurifi]

also, not so on topic, but came to an interesting observation this week ... on Monday I first played with Xiom Omega 8 China and Xiom Vega X. we played with relatively new Hanno ball (very nice balls by Hanno, to be honest). we played for cca. 2 hours, after I finished playing the rubbers were like new. then on Wednesday I was fooling around the apartment - I do this actually several times a day, when I am at home and have time - just tapping the ball but adding spin to it, and this time I was using Xiom Bravo ball, because it has quite a big marking and it is easier to observe rotation ... after 20 minutes I take a break and put the blade away and noticed there are some significant markings on both rubbers ... so I guess, not only playability depends on the ball itself (among other factors, of course) but also the durability. I don't know if you played with Xiom Bravo, but first time I played with them I noticed, how rough they are. Nittaku, for example, are very very smooth ... this could also affect playability - rough ball, smoot table, smooth ball, smooth table ... if you understand me ...