Comparison Butterfly Timo Boll SG77 vs Butterfly Zhang Jike ZJX6

The style of play the racquet is designed for. For each of the playing styles, the optimal indicators of speed, rotation and control (see below); the specific values of these characteristics may be different, but the general trend in models of the same style, usually, is clearly visible.

— Attacker. The attacking style of play involves high speed — it is this indicator, usually, that dominates the characteristics of rackets of this style.

— Protective. When playing in a defensive style, the speed of the ball is relatively low, which is compensated by the abundance of technical elements such as twists and undercuts. Accordingly, "defensive" rackets focus mainly on control (and partly on spin), and also have a design designed to dampen the high speed of the ball (in case the opponent prefers an attacking style).

— Universal. A style of play that combines attacking and defensive elements. Usually, universal rackets have approximately equal indicators of speed and control.

Within each style there are specializations. For example, attacking racquets can be designed for top speed—or a combination of slightly slower speed with increased control; in universal models, the ratio between speed and rotation depends on which direction the emphasis is shifted in the design of the product — to attack or to protect; etc.

Also note t...hat not only ready-made rackets, but also blades can belong to a certain style (see "Type").

Table tennis rackets have 3 main practical characteristics: speed, spin and control. The general class of the product, the style of play (see above), the available techniques, the requirements for the player's skills, etc. depend on their values and ratio. One of the most popular designation options is on a hundred-point scale; This scale is also used in our catalogue.

The speed indicator describes how fast the ball will move after contact with the racquet. High speed values are extremely important for an attacking style of play.

Table tennis rackets have 3 main practical characteristics: speed, spin and control. The general class of the product, the style of play (see above), available techniques, requirements for player skills, etc. depend on their values and ratio. One of the most popular designation options is on a hundred-point scale; This scale is also used in our catalogue.

The higher the spin number, the more the ball will spin with the corresponding hit and the better the racquet is suitable for various twisting techniques.

Table tennis rackets have 3 main practical characteristics: speed, spin and control. The general class of the product, the style of play (see above), available techniques, requirements for player skills, etc. depend on their values and ratio. One of the most popular designation options is on a hundred-point scale; This scale is also used in our catalogue.

Control describes the overall handling of a racquet; Roughly speaking, this is an indicator of how easily it can be used to give the tennis ball exactly the speed, direction of flight and rotation that the athlete wants to provide. In principle, high values on the control scale will be comfortable regardless of the level of the player and the style of play; however, increasing the speed/rotation has a negative effect on control, as a “faster” or “twisting” racquet is usually more demanding on the accuracy of movements. Therefore, many models for professionals and experienced amateurs, usually, are distinguished by a low degree of controllability, and “beginner” rackets, on the contrary, have high control indicators and low speed / rotation.

The number of layers that make up the base of the racquet. Theoretically, the number of layers affects the degree of rigidity and elasticity of the base and, accordingly, the characteristics of the rebound of the ball. However, in fact, this moment is irrelevant for the simple reason that the materials used (see above), the presence of inserts, build quality, sponge thickness (see below), etc. also affect the mentioned characteristics. And given that modern table tennis rackets are very diverse (for example, wooden models can use different types of wood), the number of layers is today an exclusively reference parameter, which in itself does not affect the practical characteristics of a particular model.

Sponge is the bottom layer of the lining, located under the outer coating (rubber is most often used for such a coating). The thickness of the sponge determines the characteristics of the impulse that the racquet transmits to the ball, and, accordingly, the characteristics of the flight of the ball after the impact; in other words, this indicator affects all three practical characteristics of the racquet - speed, rotation, control. Accordingly, models for different playing styles (see above) also differ in sponge thickness.

So, a small thickness - up to 1.5 mm - is typical for protective style products, which are distinguished by low speed and good control. All-purpose rackets use sponges of the order of 1.5 – 1.8 mm, which provides a balance between speed and control. And thick sponges - from 2 mm - are installed in rackets for an attacking game, and the greater the thickness, the higher the speed and rotation, and the worse the control.

This racquet is ITTF (International Table Tennis Federation) certified.

ITTF — International Table Tennis Federation — is a worldwide organization that is responsible for developing official rules for international competitions and monitoring their implementation. These rules also include technical requirements for equipment used in international competitions. The presence of an official ITTF certificate is mandatory for the admission of equipment (including rackets) to such competitions; in other words, to participate in an official international tournament, you will definitely need an ITTF-certified racquet. However, in fact, the presence of a certificate is more important, taking into account another point: the ITTF puts forward rather stringent requirements for the quality of equipment. This has a positive effect on the quality of certified products, but also puts forward some restrictions: for example, the racquet base must consist of at least 85% wood (see "Base Material"), and some types of spikes on the rubbers are prohibited.

It is worth noting that rackets of almost any class (see above), even very inexpensive models, can have an ITTF certificate. Also, a certificate can be issued for sets — usually, this means that all complete equipment (net, balls, etc.) meets the ITTF requirements, but bases (see "Type") do not pass certification: a self-assembled racquet may turn out not...meeting ITTF standards, even if the base itself fits these standards perfectly.

The total weight of the racquet or blade (see "Type"). Usually, in the first case, the weight values are in the range of 140 – 180 g; occasionally there are lighter models, mainly these are rackets of the "beginner" class 1 * (see above). For most bases, this figure is 50 – 100 g.

In general, lighter racquets are considered better suited for beginner players — in particular, light weight contributes to good control. And trained professionals can use more "weighty" inventory. In addition, it is believed that heavy rackets are better suited for the attacking style of play (see above), while light rackets are more convenient in defense. Well, anyway, the choice of weight depends on personal feelings: the racquet should not seem either too light or too heavy.