Zhang Jike switched to Tenergy 05-FX!!

[Sun Tzu]

They rarely sell these blades as new these days, most of the time sold out in hours if they do.

Im lucky enough to have one and it is even an old black tag one, which you won't find often, especially not in the condition mine still is.

 

[UpSideDownCarl]

Yes I understand this is a good rubber, players at my club use it aswell. But on the level of Zhang Jike, the best player in the world right now, im sure he can get tons of spin on his flicks, but since he is the best he can use the full potential of any rubbers he gets, Butterfly themselves advertise that the 05-FX version is less spinny,slower and offers more control. So personal preference or not, in the end he would probably be better with T64 or T05 because they are spinnier and more linear in performance.

A lot of the time, what Butterfly says about their products is not worth listening to because it is completely inaccurate. It has more to do with what you feel when you play. When I played with 05FX, it felt noticeably more spinny than 05. It did not feel much slower.

Since we don't know what Zhang Jike felt or what made him switch, or even how long he has been using 05FX, is this conversation worth having. There are various sources that have been saying Zhang Jike is using 05FX and then there is a photo of his racket with 05FX. Unless that photo is a fake, and then we would have to ask--why would someone do that--it looks like Zhang Jike is using 05FX. He is not a player that changes setups that often. There may have been a reason for the switch if he did make this switch.

So, it might be more fruitful to consider why he would make this switch rather than why he should not, or why he would pretend to make this switch.

 

[Sun Tzu]

Im not saying he pretended it, asking why he switched is exactly what im doing. But for every aspect hes probably improving with this switch, hes also lowering other aspects. I hoped to make it clear what Zhang's intentions are, we already mentioned his gameplan changed. Opening serves more often, more BH to BH rally's and less outblocking the opponent.

 

[UpSideDownCarl]

Im not saying he pretended it, asking why he switched is exactly what im doing. But for every aspect hes probably improving with this switch, hes also lowering other aspects. I hoped to make it clear what Zhang's intentions are, we already mentioned his gameplan changed. Opening serves more often, more BH to BH rally's and less outblocking the opponent.

Perhaps he has enough power on his own and only needed a little more control. He may get more spin out of the slower rubber. Regardless of what Butterfly says, often softer rubbers give more spin when they are that kind of sponge and topsheet. When the ball sinks in a little more you get more grab from the topsheet with the mechanical spin.

But, I think any of these kinds of ideas presented by someone other than Zhang Jike would be guess work. Fun to speculate but hard to be accurate.

 

[Alborz]

he will play with Sriver and H3 commercial next tournament to be challenged

 

[Tinykin]

It probably suits Bty for ZJK to use Viscaria. Normally if the Manufacturers name a piece of equipment after the player, then a percentage based on total sales of that equipment would be paid to that player. So ZJK is losing out on all those Viscaria sales.

 

[maze71]

ZJK was struggling with his BH in recent tournaments before WTTC - Maybe he decided to use the 05fx for extra control and dwell time. I seem to remember him missing a lot of his flicks and drives on BH (going into net) in the previous tournaments. Also, as it is slower perhaps he thought the 05fx may help him beat Ma Long should he face him by giving more control on his blocks when Ma hits his power loops...just a thought.

 

[sugomori]

Amusing speculations - as maze71 mentions he missed lots of flicks in previous tournaments, which may be the reason for a switch away from 64.

Now some facts:

(1) According to the butterfly web site (US), 05 & 05fx are rated the same for spin and speed. They say it gives more control, but no value associated with it.

(2) I agree with UpSideDownCarl that softer sponge results in more spin - in slow & medium speed hits where ball penetration is less with the harder sponge. On hard hits the characteristics of the blade start to play a role.

(3) I was looking for any good shot of his red bh rubber during wttc - could not find a single one. It was interesting to note that whenever he left the racket on the table he put it red side down.

(4) while its not too hard to change a handle, to change the rubber stamping would require a special production run, and imo would expose the company doing this to legal attacks.

(5) The photo shown could be anyones paddle - it is not a photo of a paddle that is clearly being used by ZJK

I am as curious as everyone else here to know what he is using on BH. Maybe we get a chance to see it during the China Open - if anyone is going to be there, maybe you get a chance to zoom in at the right moment!

 

[Anders]

Im not sure what you guys have experienced around the world.. But I have been to a couple of training camps in Romania, and as you all probably know, Romanians likes to play a lot of backhand, and have a lot of power in their strokes with either side. I simply asked one of the coaches there, and a few of the best players at that particular training centre why they all play the FX version of T05. (They all did, amongst the good players). And they all responded the same. Strength comes from your body, and spin from the rubber. So in order to get both power and strength, they pracrticed a lot of physical, and played with boosted softer rubbers and a fast blade (often the TBS or simular blades).

Thats how the Romanians are dealing with the speed glue ban, wich they aint so supportive about.

 

[Anders]

Wow, sorry for bad spelling in there.. Haha, its very late in Norway now!

 

[Olio]

These pics are legit. The guy who took them worked at the DHS stall during WTTC.

He is active on tennis-de-table.com and mytabletennis.

Also we're not sure what sponge they use. It could still be something harder than the normal FX one.

Having played with 05FX and 64, I found them very similar with FX gaining in spin what it lost in speed.

 

[Sun Tzu]

Interesting ideas being passed around here.

I myself didnt like 05-FX over Tenergy 64 or 05, I have to admit my backhand wasn't as good back then.

But if it gives more spin and control, since speed comes from the body. Why didn't all the chinese players switched to it? Most are still with 05 and 64.
They can handpick the hardest 05-FX if they like, while they are picking the softest Tenergy 05/64 each time now.

 

[TurboZ]

I just rewatch the match between ZJK and Kenta in this year's Austrian Open. ZJK look at his rubber in doubt a couple of times with frustration. You have to watch the full match from ittf while they still have it as the short form got all those scenes edit out. May be that is an indication why he finds a need to try something similar but with more control.

 

[Alborz]

I just rewatch the match between ZJK and Kenta in this year's Austrian Open. ZJK look at his rubber in doubt a couple of times with frustration. You have to watch the full match from ittf while they still have it as the short form got all those scenes edit out. May be that is an indication why he finds a need to try something similar but with more control.

probably his rubber was not pasted good or something . no one look at his BH rubber in a match and then decide to change it . if i want to decide to change my rubber or not i decide in training not in a match .

 

[Samuraisam 3467]

Zhang jikes backhand usually uses more of the wrist returning back their own speed with more spin. Recently however he is starting to flick then move away from the table and producing longer and faster high spinny loops with his entire body. 05 normally helps with arc of it but when doing his trademark wristy block the arc shoots it over the end

 

[iMuresan]

Hello, Anders. I'm a Romanian living in Brussels. I go to Romania several times a year. Been looking for a training camp without much success. Can you help with some info? Would love to join. Thanks.

 

[Herbert]

Definetely world news

 

[cosmeticcarrepair]

The top pros use custom rubbers, so there's not much point in analysing it really.

 

[Bollforte94]

Or maybe Butterfly just gave Zhang T64 rubbers with T05-fx writings to watch how it will effect the sales. And it works

 

[UpSideDownCarl]

This is old (from 2013). I think he did try T05FX and then went back to T64.


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