Why is ZLC popular among the Japanese team but not Chinese?

[TensorBackhand]

【日本男子編】卓球選手使用用具(ラケット・ラバー)一覧 | やりログ

※個人的に調べているものなので、情報が古かったり、そもそも間違っている可能性があります。あくまで参考程度に考えてください。 ・選手名(敬称略) (最終更新月) R：ラケット(B:ブレード、G:グリップ)　F：フォアラバー　B：バックラバー ※特に書いていない場合、グリップはFL、ラバーの厚さは特厚) ※下線アリ＝セル時代までの用具(2015年1月から全日本選手権でプラボール採用) 最新世界ランキングで50位以内(2023/2 第1週) ・張本智和　WR4 (2021/2~4~7~2022/1~2022/7~2023/1)...

yarilog.com

Was just browsing the equipment of Japan's team, and ZLC is very popular. Particularly the ZLC inner.

Why is ZLC quite popular for the Japanese team but not the Chinese team?

 

[thomas.pong]

【日本男子編】卓球選手使用用具(ラケット・ラバー)一覧 | やりログ

※個人的に調べているものなので、情報が古かったり、そもそも間違っている可能性があります。あくまで参考程度に考えてください。 ・選手名(敬称略) (最終更新月) R：ラケット(B:ブレード、G:グリップ)　F：フォアラバー　B：バックラバー ※特に書いていない場合、グリップはFL、ラバーの厚さは特厚) ※下線アリ＝セル時代までの用具(2015年1月から全日本選手権でプラボール採用) 最新世界ランキングで50位以内(2023/2 第1週) ・張本智和　WR4 (2021/2~4~7~2022/1~2022/7~2023/1)...

yarilog.com

Was just browsing the equipment of Japan's team, and ZLC is very popular. Particularly the ZLC inner.

Why is ZLC quite popular for the Japanese team but not the Chinese team?

Good question, one probably better answered by high level players in China.

It is popular with top level Japanese HS and Uni players as well.

And popular with several French pros also.

 

[Dr Evil]

Could be the rubber. Dignics/Tenergy works well with inner ZLC. Softer touch over the table. H3 may be better with ALC. A little more flex.

 

[thomas.pong]

Could be the rubber. Dignics/Tenergy works well with inner ZLC. Softer touch over the table. H3 may be better with ALC. A little more flex.

Yea, I also think it has to do with this, IF ZLC lends itself well to Euro/Japanese rubbers and style of play. Direct and more wood feel, good for switching between hits and loops.

It's my favorite blade by BTY, the Ai Fukuhara Pro ZLF is a close second.

 

[Gozo]

I have a wild theory and wishes to share out here for people to consider. It is my theory and may or may not be true.

1. If you look at the Jap players be it male or female, their style is stand close to table and counter-drive. They win by relying on speed and wide angle placing. They rely less on topspin ( relatively speaking ) and more on hitting or in another word counter-drive / counter-hitting.

2. As such a Innercore type blade that emphasize control with super bouncy rubber such as Tenergy or Dignics will support this play style. Archetypal of such play style is T. Harimoto, and also Togami. Contrast this to Korean player like Jang Woojin who is plays slightly far away and uses his powerful FH powerloop to win points. As such, a looping type blade such as W968 is more supportive of Jang's play style.

What do you think of my observation? Do you agree or not? Give a like if you agree so that I know that my theory is widely acceptable or not. Thanks.

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

ALC has always been very popular in China and still is.

 

[[email protected]]

ALC selalu sangat populer di China dan sampai sekarang.

Why....?

 

[thomas.pong]

Why....?

3 letters: ZJK used the Viscaria

Now FZD, LGY and many more CNT men and women use ALC.

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

Why....?

I obviously can't answer for everyone.
From what I see and experience with kids around my circles.

Most would adapt to ALC early on and stay there.

Some would change to Super ALC (of late).
Some would go ZLC, SZLC, Some would stay, some would come back to ALC.

From what I feel. ALC is good enough to get the job done.
The rest is to train to get the job done.
To play matches to test your training
To train to make you become better in the next match.

ALC vs ZLC - there is tons of info out there, So I won't touch on it on whats pros and whats the con.

Its personal choice and i think from kids, most of them start with ALC and stay there. Very few of them go EJ mode.
Even with rubbers, they might try 09C for example when it came out. Some would stay, most goes back to H3 on FH.
The coaches do play a very important role on what the kids would use.

This ALC + H3 has been going on for a LONG time.
It works.

Maybe if the next 3 Chinese champion leave ALC for ZLC, maybe the trend might change.
But for now, I don't see it changing much unless players themselves prefer.

 

[Andrea Jiang]

【日本男子編】卓球選手使用用具(ラケット・ラバー)一覧 | やりログ

※個人的に調べているものなので、情報が古かったり、そもそも間違っている可能性があります。あくまで参考程度に考えてください。 ・選手名(敬称略) (最終更新月) R：ラケット(B:ブレード、G:グリップ)　F：フォアラバー　B：バックラバー ※特に書いていない場合、グリップはFL、ラバーの厚さは特厚) ※下線アリ＝セル時代までの用具(2015年1月から全日本選手権でプラボール採用) 最新世界ランキングで50位以内(2023/2 第1週) ・張本智和　WR4 (2021/2~4~7~2022/1~2022/7~2023/1)...

yarilog.com

Was just browsing the equipment of Japan's team, and ZLC is very popular. Particularly the ZLC inner.

Why is ZLC quite popular for the Japanese team but not the Chinese team?

I think it is a goooooood question. The answer I came up with after consulting with SANWEI Chinese professional athletes:

1. In terms of equipment:
For some reason, Japan's ZLC fiber blades and sticky sponge rubber were developed and did not enter China. Therefore, Chinese rubber and Japanese rubber have started two completely different technical routes. Chinese rubber, sponge has high hardness and density, and its deformation is relatively low when it is hit by a ball. If it is combined with the Japanese ZLC blade, the blade itself rebounds faster and has strong elasticity, which will give Chinese players a feeling of disconnection when exerting force.

2 . From the perspective of skills：
Here we only discuss Chinese players， Chinese coaches put more emphasis on a strong forehand and its own strength. Most of the players who can become well-known players also meet the above characteristics. So the rebound provided by the ZLC blade itself is not that important， On the contrary, blades that can reflect direct force are more popular, but it is undeniable that some Chinese players have tried external ALC blades in recent years because their rebound is not so obvious.

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

I think it is a goooooood question. The answer I came up with after consulting with SANWEI Chinese professional athletes:

1. In terms of equipment:
For some reason, Japan's ZLC fiber blades and sticky sponge rubber were developed and did not enter China. Therefore, Chinese rubber and Japanese rubber have started two completely different technical routes. Chinese rubber, sponge has high hardness and density, and its deformation is relatively low when it is hit by a ball. If it is combined with the Japanese ZLC blade, the blade itself rebounds faster and has strong elasticity, which will give Chinese players a feeling of disconnection when exerting force.

2 . From the perspective of skills：
Here we only discuss Chinese players， Chinese coaches put more emphasis on a strong forehand and its own strength. Most of the players who can become well-known players also meet the above characteristics. So the rebound provided by the ZLC blade itself is not that important， On the contrary, blades that can reflect direct force are more popular, but it is undeniable that some Chinese players have tried external ALC blades in recent years because their rebound is not so obvious.

True

But Chinese rubber has entered Japan for years (over 10 years)
Japanese rubbers and blade has also entered China for years.

However, more Japanese has adapted to Chinese rubbers than Chinese to Japanese rubbers (for forehand).

ALC is also popular in Japan.
I'm not sure what is the ratio of ALC vs ZLC though.
But according to TT world
ALC is still number 1 (by far)

 

[Andrea Jiang]

True

But Chinese rubber has entered Japan for years (over 10 years)
Japanese rubbers and blade has also entered China for years.

However, more Japanese has adapted to Chinese rubbers than Chinese to Japanese rubbers (for forehand).

ALC is also popular in Japan.
I'm not sure what is the ratio of ALC vs ZLC though.
But according to TT world
ALC is still number 1 (by far)

View attachment 24331

Of course, Need to point I'm talking about professional athletes and not gamers above. The reason is that China adopts a nationwide system for training professional athletes. So if you want to stand out, you need to fully meet the requirements of the coaches, and the professional coaches in China are all old school, so few players use Chinese-style equipment in the youth team. But in recent years, more and more players have also started to use European and Japanese style equipment.

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

Of course, Need to point I'm talking about professional athletes and not gamers above. The reason is that China adopts a nationwide system for training professional athletes. So if you want to stand out, you need to fully meet the requirements of the coaches, and the professional coaches in China are all old school, so few players use Chinese-style equipment in the youth team. But in recent years, more and more players have also started to use European and Japanese style equipment.

Yes, I am talking about the same too.
ie how many Chinese coaches gone to Japan since 20 years ago. So many Japanese players using DHS rubbers.

TT World is the full market and ALC is still the most popular by far.
Just like ALC is the most in China's main market too.

Old school or new school coaches in China, ALC is still the main. ALC + Euro/Jpn style is also fine.

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

Oh, to answer OP.

DHS is obviously very big in China and in CNT
ALC is DHS's main focus too.

Stiga is also doing very well in China.

So just by these 2 brands, you can see how the trend is set from youth to national senior team.

 

[merlin el mago]

Chinese phylosophy is clear first spin!!!

 

[NextLevel]

Jun Mizutani used ZLC. That probably helped a lot. But I am fairly sure if I remember correctly that Jishan Liang uses ZLC.

 

[thomas.pong]

Ding Ning used an Apolonia IF ZLC for a minute.

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

Ding Ning used an Apolonia IF ZLC for a minute.

Really?
I thought it was DHS

I had a 2 hour call with DHS today. I recall the guy mentioned Ding Ning also uses DHS blade

 

[thomas.pong]

Really?
I thought it was DHS

I had a 2 hour call with DHS today. I recall the guy mentioned Ding Ning also uses DHS blade

She did, I had saved the picture somewhere.

She was trying a bunch of blades in recent years, some Yasaka too, but in the end she seemed to use W968 the most.

 

[TensorBackhand]

She did, I had saved the picture somewhere.

She was trying a bunch of blades in recent years, some Yasaka too, but in the end she seemed to use W968 the most.

Does CNT test other rubbers as well? Like D09c, K3, Battle 2, etc? Or are they just totally committed to H3?