Changing different rubber for topspin and smash
Strokes and Technique
mr Man Asked 10 years ago
Hi Alois,
I always watching Ma Long's matches and I often see he changes his rubber. (I mean from FH to BH).
During the match,he uses his FH rubber for loops and topspins (mostly say it's DHS Hurricane 3 NEO Blue Sponge National).
But when he want to smash, he uses his BH rubber especially when the ball is high.(Tenergy 64 or 05)
The question is : Why he does that? It is because Tenergy has higher bounce or the speed? Or something else?
Alois Rosario Answered 10 years ago
Hi Rahman,
He must feel comfortable smashing with the backhand side rubber. It is not something that a lot of players do. It will just be that he feels the ball comes out faster or cleaner from the backhand side rubber when smashing.
It is probably best for most players to just use the same side when smashing and topspinning.
Thoughts on this question
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Jasper Low Posted 3 years ago
I am starting to see this action happening quite often in professional level. Maybe I should give it a try because my loops and topspins are decent but my smashes miss the table most of the time(I heard hurricane 3 isn't good for flat hitting and smashing)
Nigel C Posted 3 years ago
Jasper, players dont switch because their smashes miss using a particular rubber. Professionals are trying to eek out the slightest advantage and obviously some think they get this by switching, but if they don't switch it doesn't mean they will miss. You need to concentrate on why your smashes miss. Are you putting enough top spin on? Are you aiming for the right depth on the table and timing the shot correctly? Feet in the right position etc. All are more important than which side of your blade you are using - unless you have long pimples one side.
D K Posted 3 years ago
I have seen some explanation from CHinese coach where heexplains that Ma Long rotates the bat really due to the fact the Tenergy has stronger bounce.
Also,he said Chinese players use bouncier rubbers on backhand to compensate for the lower power on the backhand side,as forehand's max power is by nature always bigger than backhand's.
But Japser,this is a matter of POWER and possibly SPIN. It has no effect on their consistency or plans.
Nigel is right,you should practise your smashing more than your twiddling for this.
Though,Nigel,as a long pimple user who trains also attacking with the pips,I have to partially deny your statement about longpips.
Even with pips the smashes can be delivered.
The feet position and basic principle of weight transfer etc. works for any rubber. Only the angle differs.
Nigel C Posted 3 years ago
Dk, you are quite right that bit was just a personal opinion. If I used long pips, then I think I'd be tempted to twiddle sometimes.
Do you find smashing with long pips any more difficult than with reverse rubber? I am bias as I'm more of an traditional attacker.
I'm glad of long pip players (even though they can be frustrating to play against) they do make the game more interesting.
D K Posted 3 years ago
The aiming is much more difficult,because you have to behave much more like shortpimpled attacker.
You can almost completely ignore the incoming spin,but you have to select the angle of the bat really carefully.
So,I would not say it is difficult, it is different.
I would say it is harder with frictionless longpips or spongeless longpips.
I personally use TSP Curl P4 Chop,which is one of the spinniest longpips models.
A few players actually confirmed that I am able to impart backspin into opponent's own backspin. It is not very heavy,but it is backspin.
I use 1.mm and I plan to switch to 1.5mm when I will have enough money,and I am able to attack with it should the need arise.
I even practise regular looping with the rubber from time to time.