This article is going to save numerous frictionless long pips style players who have stopped playing, or in some way disappointed by ITTF ban of frictionless pips. I hope this article will bring you back into the same game you enjoyed playing with frictionless long pips.
TTMaster Punto
I’m not a fan of frictionless long pips. I have used numerous frictionless pips. My favorite always was always Dr.Neubauer Monster frictionless long pips rubber. When the rumor of banning the frictionless long pips was circling around some two years ago, I turned to TSP Curl p1r. The TSP defensive rubbers are great in the world, but it lacked the reversal and deception of spin. I developed strokes with TSP Curl p1r, and had never turn back to the frictionless long pips again. There is a reason why I turn to frictionless long pips now, may not be to use myself but to help other long pips players out there.
The ITTF is scrutinizing table tennis with all kinds of stupid rules. The game is going in the opposite direction of ITTF’s expectation to go. The ITTF banned speed glue and boosters last year. What is the result? We are seeing the fastest and spinniest inverted rubbers now - faster and spinnier than speed glued rubbers. The table tennis blades have become smart. In all these, what is the condition of a long pips player who have used frictionless long pips before. They are doomed. A lot of manufactures who have manufactured frictionless pips could not come up with a long pips that is slow and deceptive. The ITTF axed TTMaster’s Swingback long pips which had close to the frictionless long pips behavior. I feel sorry for the defensive players who did not have much choice. The table tennis is becoming a game of offensive monsters, rather than a balanced game for defenders and attackers.
The state of long pips players who love the frictionless long pips style game prompted me to bring the TTMaster brand to the United States recently. The TTMaster is a Switzerland brand, and have been successful with their long pips for some years. They sued ITTF for banning even pips having friction, the suit went to Court. The suit does not exist now as there was settlement between both TTMaster and ITTF. In the latest ITTF document of racket covering approvals, they have Fireproof, Fireproof II and Punto as approved rubbers.
In simple words I would say the TTMaster Punto is a highly effective friction long pips having the same behavior as a frictionless long pips. The TTMaster Punto is a replacement for the frictionless long pips rubber. There is very high spin reversal with TTMaster Punto. Just like any frictionless long pips, the ball bounces in a very unexpected direction after the bounce.
During this weekend, I spent some 10 hours testing TTMaster Punto on various blades. At the club, I tried few combination against various style of players.
Spin Reversal and Deception:
Someone who have used TSP Curl P-H or other frictionless pips can use TTMaster Punto without much stroke difference. The TSP Curl P-H produces very high knuckle balls, but it’s deception and spin reversal is almost to zero. When that is true for TSP Curl P-H, the TT Master P-H has very high spin reversal and deception. Against any player I played against who is rated 2000 (USATT rating) could not figure out what I was doing with TTMaster Punto. They could not push or smash against TTMaster Punto balls successfully. One after another, they tried to push against the highly reversed balls turning into a direction where they don’t know it is really turning to. The TTMaster Punto drive nuts the players who don’t read spin and loop well.
Hitting:
Just like TSP Curl P-H, the TTMaster Punto is very good for hitting. I hear people saying the frictionless long pips is not good for good hitting. That is not true. A skilled frictionless long pips player can bring nightmare to inverted players who push against long pips players to trouble them. Haven’t you heard all the smart inverted players murmuring each other “push to the long pips, it can turn to top spin and then you can attack those balls.”? With the TTMaster Punto (with TSP Curl P-H) you can attack underspin and no-spin balls easily. I had very good control when I hit with TTMaster Punto. I had few occasions the ball go out. That was not because I did not have control, the problem was I did not read the spin that was coming back to me. Unlike TSP Curl P-H, I should have been to reading the spin that is coming back to me.
Speed:
The TTMaster Punto is damn slow. I have tried TTMaster Punto against at least 10 different blades. The right combination I have found that has high spin reversal and deception is with TSP Yanagi Alpha. The blade has the right speed for a close to the table game. I have tried it on Hallmark Strategy, XIOM Aigis etc… The spin reversal was okay and the speed was very slow. I had least effect and speed with Hallmark Strategy.
I have played against many players including a player who has a very high speed blade and rubber combination - close to speed glued rubbers. I was not that able to successfully block his loops (he has more speed and less spin on his balls) with high control. Against such players I play little further away from the table to compensate for the speed. The strokes I have developed suit choppers. Those strokes did not work against that player. I had to be close to the table and cut the ball straight because the Punto long pips did grab the ball as TSP Curl P-H. The sponge version of TTMaster Punto help in such situation as the sponge can absorb the pace of the ball.
Offense against TTMaster Punto
None of my chopped balls anyone was able to loop against. I personally tried to loop against the balls coming from TTMaster Punto. I keep on making mistakes with Butterfly Tenergy / Donic Barracuda on the forehand. This rubber is deceptive. I did not have to wait longer before a friend tried it and liked its screwy behavior.
Playing against players who don’t generate spin
If you were a frictionless long pips player, you know what I’m talking about. Attempting chop against no-spin balls does not generate much spin on the ball. I say this because you have been using friction pips all these while, and now turning to frictionless style rubbers. Good practice against such balls is necessary.
I would recommend the players to try TSP Curl P-H and TTMaster Punto side by side on similar blades. This would help you to understand the spin reversal very good.
Be fall in love with frictionless long pips style game again with TTMaster Punto.
Blades that go with TTMaster Punto
Among many blades that I have tried, I have found TTMaster Punto is very effective on TSP Yanagi blades. I have tried on balsa blades too. I was not that satisfied with its performance.
Here are some very advanced players who play frictionless rubber style game:
[ur=http://www.tabletennisvideos.net/video/119/Robert-Shahnazari-vs-Brana-Vlasic]Robert Shahnazari Vs Brana-Vlasic[/url]
[url=http://www.tabletennisvideos.net/video/120/Andrej-Gacina-vs-Fabian-Akerstorm]Andrej Gacina Vs Fabian Akerstorm[/url]
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{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
Hey, I was reading your review of TTmaster Punto. How can it have massive spin reversal while still complying to the ITTF’s friction rule? I have a sheet of Dr. Neubauer Monster ,and i was wondering if Punto’s spin reversal capability was similar or different.
I tried a sheet of this in ox blocks well, hits well, spin reversal poor, deception poor, very slow cant see this one being a winner
The frictionless long pips players prefer slow rubbers. You have to look at Fireproof if you need more speed. What blade you have tried the TTMaster Punto on?