What is the technical reason Ma Long and top pros love W968?

[Rizve Hasan]

You can find some videos of him doing “multiballs” judging by that I’d say 1400-1500 max but he does not participate in official USATT tournaments.

I have seen his "Multiball Session". You are way generous to give him 1400-1500.

 

[TensorBackhand]

I have seen his "Multiball Session". You are way generous to give him 1400-1500.

Why did you ask then?

 

[Overseer Kevin]

I think it's a simple answer. It works well with the Chinese tacky rubber. Fh and Bh.

One thing I noticed though and it might be a little of topic. I watch plenty net balls from the top Chinese players. One thing I often pay attention to with the net ball is the spin. Is the ball spinning forward towards the net? And often, especially with the recent Chinese players I don't see that insane spin everyone seems to be talking about.
That tells me that the counter, 3rd, and 5th balls aren't as spinny as I assumed. Has anyone else noticed this? With the tensor rubbers the ball is spinning so much that it sometimes looks like the ball is trying it's best to get over the net even after the point is over... 😂

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

what makes w968 the desirable choice for top pros?

if that is the question, well you should ask the top pros because they know the answer

is there any top pro here?

but since you asked the question here on this forum, what do you expect?

here we only have the top pro EJs - and Tony battling it out in game 7 against Zeio (by the way Tony how is that going?)

this topic goes nowhere, just like most of your posts

zeio is not important and very down the priority list
i'm busying getting about 16 players into European leagues and in talks to hopefully push it over 20 players. This was way over the 10 initial target I set around September.
and the second player just took 100% win tonight, so I am very happy!

2 players playing in 1st half.
the rest will appear 2nd half, with 3 Jan the first match in 1. Bundesliga Germany!

As I said in other threads
W968 is actually a great blade.
Just a pity the quality is not the same as butterfly and lifespan is around half to 3 times shorter. So the replacement is sooner and one of the reason why many choice to remain with Butterfly. At least that is from my side.

the moment its past its lifespan, the quality does drop.
So as I said, for all we know, OP probably used a very old 968 blade that has absorb way too much moisture.

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

This seems to be the consensus answer, and it is reasonable to me. A Pro was not needed to answer this question.

A home-cook could answer, why a top chef prefers one type of knife over another.

spoken by a true amateur
a home cook will never understand knife the way top chefs do.

 

[ThePongCommenter]

I am not sure why everyone is piling on just because OP isn't Ma Long. None of you are.

While the W968 is by no means a slow blade when you make good and strong contact with the ball, it is in fact relatively slower than many other offensive blades specifically outer carbon ones, especially when you don't make perfect contact with the ball, a problem that happens to even high level players and not just players of OPs level. And it is pretty much tailor made for hard H3 rubbers so if you don't use those it can feel sluggish even if you play at a good level. What makes the 968 stand out, as pointed out several times, is the extreme amount of gears and how well it absorbs spin, and it has no "top end of power" - you can put in more and more and get more and more, but this only rewards highly advanced and technical players who can continuously power loop many balls.

I can immediately think of several USATT 2500-2750 players who don't like the 968 for exactly this reason. Unless any of you here think you are players in that level range then stop pointing out that TensorBackhand isn't Ma Long cause I don't think any of you are 2750 either.

Let's stop acting like the premise of the question is ridiculous and piling on just because OP isn't a high level player. The 968 isn't a slow blade, but it is in fact comparatively slower on many ranges of shots than most other offensive blades that it would get compared to.

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

If not, you have no more excuses.

lol
you the one making excuses in most of the threads you asking questions.
I am not the only one pointing out.
It is the same pattern, just got and read them yourselves

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

I am not sure why everyone is piling on just because OP isn't Ma Long. None of you are.

While the W968 is by no means a slow blade when you make good and strong contact with the ball, it is in fact relatively slower than many other offensive blades specifically outer carbon ones, especially when you don't make perfect contact with the ball, a problem that happens to even high level players and not just players of OPs level. And it is pretty much tailor made for hard H3 rubbers so if you don't use those it can feel sluggish even if you play at a good level. What makes the 968 stand out, as pointed out several times, is the extreme amount of gears and how well it absorbs spin, and it has no "top end of power" - you can put in more and more and get more and more, but this only rewards highly advanced and technical players who can continuously power loop many balls.

I can immediately think of several USATT 2500-2750 players who don't like the 968 for exactly this reason. Unless any of you here think you are players in that level range then stop pointing out that TensorBackhand isn't Ma Long cause I don't think any of you are 2750 either.

Let's stop acting like the premise of the question is ridiculous and piling on just because OP isn't a high level player. The 968 isn't a slow blade, but it is in fact comparatively slower on many ranges of shots than most other offensive blades that it would get compared to.

OP has a history of comparing apples with oranges and then says apple suck.
The problem is not his level, but his way of making conclusions on equipment.
you read enough, you will probably agree.

He used 968 for how many minutes and he is making conclusions?
he does not own 968 and he compares so many blades to 968.
we are talking apply vs orange, vs banana, vs water melon and he is giving summaries that are probably very incorrect. I am glad he isn't making youtube review videos.

i am probably not 2500+ today, but I sure have over a dozen 2600-2800 players and a few using W968 national, and it is not a slow blade. OP is very wrong in his conclusion that it is slow.

 

[ThePongCommenter]

OP has a history of comparing apples with oranges and then says apple suck.
The problem is not his level, but his way of making conclusions on equipment.
you read enough, you will probably agree.

He used 968 for how many minutes and he is making conclusions?
he does not own 968 and he compares so many blades to 968.
we are talking apply vs orange, vs banana, vs water melon and he is giving summaries that are probably very incorrect. I am glad he isn't making youtube review videos.

i am probably not 2500+ today, but I sure have over a dozen 2600-2800 players and a few using W968 national, and it is not a slow blade. OP is very wrong in his conclusion that it is slow.

I'm not interested in reading OPs post history but I'm sure you are correct. Either way I am not sure why a 4 page gang attack is necessary when the question is somewhat legitimate.

As I said in my above post, it is not a slow blade but it definitely can be, relatively to a Viscaria or TB ALC, in many situations. So his question is not unreasonable.

 

[Tyce]

Gang attack is giving it too much credit. This is elementary school stuff at best. "ooh look at him he's asking silly questions and posting silly vids"
... At least he's thinking about stuff and documenting his progress. Stop being such a bunch of wannabe bullies and either join in on the conversation for real, or butt out.

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

I'm not interested in reading OPs post history but I'm sure you are correct. Either way I am not sure why a 4 page gang attack is necessary when the question is somewhat legitimate.

As I said in my above post, it is not a slow blade but it definitely can be, relatively to a Viscaria or TB ALC, in many situations. So his question is not unreasonable.

does any one know what rubbers he is pairing them with?
how long he hit them with?
is he able to top spin from different zones?

its all relative to how good an equipment is.

maybe it is good that he remains clueless on why the pros don't use it.
I made a valid remark - did he ask Heming Hu who moved from Viscaria (or TB ALC) to W968?
or does he just want to through random questions and hope the answer comes.

every day, there is some random question about how to beat x players, but every time, he is like using different equipment. How to you fix that? do you fix the skills, or do you fix the EJ virus. Maybe that is why so many people are gang attacking, because its another thread that will just end no where.
maybe I am harsh, but if OP has tested the blade for 30 to 40 hours, then maybe I would respect his view point.

I don't even dare to give suggestion on DF or Yinhe samples I tested for 30 mins, as I feel I need to work it in first and then understand how to use different blades to its fullest before giving an honest review.

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

Gang attack is giving it too much credit. This is elementary school stuff at best. "ooh look at him he's asking silly questions and posting silly vids"
... At least he's thinking about stuff and documenting his progress. Stop being such a bunch of wannabe bullies and either join in on the conversation for real, or butt out.

well, I suggest to him on one of his many how to beat kind of threads months ago, is to keep constant equipment
I think it is difficult to help anyone who can't remain constant on a single set of racket.

When he met Victor of TTD at some tournament, he had 8 rackets in his bag and used 5 of them that day to play matches with.
If he can master them and show by results, he is truly incredible and probably very high level.

I'm not sure if there is anyone who goes EJ extreme and wants to have progress, does not want to hire a coach and relies on forums for coaching but has the problem of musical chair rackets. He could just decide any moment to use something else and then have all these questions.

 

[vvk1]

Politely disagree with you.

Many people replied that in the hands of a top pro, w968 allows a full swing to impart power and spin. Many said that pros are willing to sacrifice speed for the sake of added control.

This seems to be the consensus answer, and it is reasonable to me. A Pro was not needed to answer this question.

A home-cook could answer, why a top chef prefers one type of knife over another.

The idea that a lay person's opinion is just as valid as an expert's opinion is just silly.

 

[Tyce]

well, I suggest to him on one of his many how to beat kind of threads months ago, is to keep constant equipment
I think it is difficult to help anyone who can't remain constant on a single set of racket.

When he met Victor of TTD at some tournament, he had 8 rackets in his bag and used 5 of them that day to play matches with.
If he can master them and show by results, he is truly incredible and probably very high level.

I'm not sure if there is anyone who goes EJ extreme and wants to have progress, does not want to hire a coach and relies on forums for coaching but has the problem of musical chair rackets. He could just decide any moment to use something else and then have all these questions.

He probably could do better sticking with something. But as far as I'm concerned, I see someone who is having fun in his own way, and is very interested in equipment and reasons to use specific stuff.
Those are legit questions for a TT forum, not a reason to ridicule someone.

 

[dingyibvs]

I personally like it for the following reasons:

1) Very good at the short game, soft touch is super easy. With that said, with the appropriate rubbers it's not exactly difficult with the Viscaria either.
2) When you loop it hard and do it right, it creates a really satisfying catapult effect with great speed, an incredible arc, and a very pleasant sound. This is unlike say the Viscaria which has a straighter arc and is prone to overshoot the table when powerlooping even if you get the right contact.
3) When you don't hit it right, and it's not that easy to hit it right all the time, the ball quality is way less, but the shot is still likely to land. This is unlike the Viscaria which if you don't hit it right it tends just drop the ball into the net. The Vis compensates for it by being much easier to get good contact, however, and that's the case even with top pros especially on the BH side.

In short, I think it's actually pretty good for both low level and high level players, as it's fault-tolerant at the low level, and gives excellent quality at the high level on the FH side. For mid-level players, however, the Vis probably generally has an advantage.

 

[Amayzde]

In regards to this thread, I never said w968 is not good and I never dismissed anybody's reply. I simply asked, what makes w968 the desirable choice for top pros? Certain individuals misinterpreted me as saying that the blade is not good.

I remember watching one of Pingsundays videos where he was talking about the equipment of Chinese pros. That you need the required technique and physical strength to unlock its true potential.

He talked about Ma Longs racket: "The racket might feel dead to most people, but in the hands of Ma Long its a deadly weapon".

Thats why DHS sells the W968 as the Hurricane Long 5, which is supposedly faster and easier for amateur players to activate its power (I dont own either, but thats what I have heard).

 

[TensorBackhand]

I remember watching one of Pingsundays videos where he was talking about the equipment of Chinese pros. That you need the required technique and physical strength to unlock its true potential.

He talked about Ma Longs racket: "The racket might feel dead to most people, but in the hands of Ma Long its a deadly weapon".

Thats why DHS sells the W968 as the Hurricane Long 5, which is supposedly faster and easier for amateur players to activate its power (I dont own either, but thats what I have heard).

Thank you. This is sound logic and makes sense to me.

 

[PhoenixTT]

Even this one, half viscaria, half w968

One side shakehand, the other penhold?

 

[Topspinslinger]

Sliding into the forum like🕺🕺

 

[TensorBackhand]

I personally like it for the following reasons:

1) Very good at the short game, soft touch is super easy. With that said, with the appropriate rubbers it's not exactly difficult with the Viscaria either.
2) When you loop it hard and do it right, it creates a really satisfying catapult effect with great speed, an incredible arc, and a very pleasant sound. This is unlike say the Viscaria which has a straighter arc and is prone to overshoot the table when powerlooping even if you get the right contact.
3) When you don't hit it right, and it's not that easy to hit it right all the time, the ball quality is way less, but the shot is still likely to land. This is unlike the Viscaria which if you don't hit it right it tends just drop the ball into the net. The Vis compensates for it by being much easier to get good contact, however, and that's the case even with top pros especially on the BH side.

In short, I think it's actually pretty good for both low level and high level players, as it's fault-tolerant at the low level, and gives excellent quality at the high level on the FH side. For mid-level players, however, the Vis probably generally has an advantage.

In general I like it too. I just think Im not strong enough to top out the blade on 95% of shots, so slightly faster setups suit me better.

But ML can probably top it out even with slow rubbers