Well, that's interesting. But still i wouldn't be so sure and wouldn't judge so quick.
Look' at an older thread with the same topic where Baal wrote:
....
And you wrote a little earlier:
....
Couldn't he have the blade custom made by Stiga, since he is used to viscaria from the time before he was signed to Stiga. Just a thought.
Yep. That is what I was thinking at the time. I in fact also said that FZD could get Stiga to make anything he wanted. And why would he use a Butterfly blade if he was sponsored by Stiga and could get Stiga to make something exactly like that Butterfly blade for him.
In fact, FZD and Stiga would be smart to do that and MARKET IT. Think of how much money Stiga and FZD could really make if they just did that simple, logical thing!
But, what you have to realize is, there was something, that convinced me that:
1) FZD is definitely lying in all the press statements about his racket. I heard that interview where he said that someone on the CNT convinced him that all wood blades were better and he should use one. I am comfortable with the fact that, for some reason he is lying.
2) In more than enough of those telephoto shots of his blade, even when the photo is distorted, you can still see that the blade has 7 plies and that the darkest ply is almost certainly NOT WOOD. If it was once in a while that the distortion made it look like it was ALC, that would be different. Once in a while the telephoto lenses distort the plies and make that darker ply look like it could be wood. But that is rare. And there are usually photos from the same tournament that make it pretty clear that it is Carbon.
3) If it was a 7 ply Stiga blade, why wouldn't Stiga make it, mass produce it, and sell it as the blade FZD is actually using. THAT WOULD REALLY BE IN STIGA'S AND FZD'S BEST INTEREST. But instead they keep lying and saying he is using a 5 ply all wood blade or, more recently Liu Gouliang saying that maybe he is using a Carbonado. hahaha. I think it is sad that they are lying about this. But I am pretty sure they are.
Again, there is something that convinced me of this. And every photo of FZD's blade I have seen since, reinforces that belief that FZD is, unfortunately, not using a blade made by his sponsor.
Well anyhow you could be right, or you could be wrong.
The only one who really seems to be able to bring clarity is FZD himself. Maybe in a new podcast episode...
And you are never going to get truth out of someone who is lying to hide the facts.
But there are plenty of players who have done this in the past.
Wang Liqin used to use a Stiga Clipper with a DHS handle, the handle of the blade DHS made for WLQ.
Dima is definitely not using what Donic says he is using and for a while there was word he was using a Stiga Clipper with a Donic Handle. I think he now may be using a carbon blade. I have no idea what company it is from. Whether from Donic or from a different brand.
I do really feel it is unfortunate that this stuff occurs. I wish it did not. But something has convinced me that FZD is lying. And if he went to an interview with you and the subject was the equipment he is using he would probably show up with a Stiga Infinity with Airoc Astro or some other rubber from Stiga on it.
And if you went to a match, he would be using something else.
In that interview where LGouliang said FZD may be using a Carbonado, FZD said he likes the Infinity for its flexibility. Infinity, I don't think it is so flexible. The stuff they put in there (Diamond Touch) makes it pretty hard and stiff.
