2026 Xiamen Sports Expo: My Visit, Part Two
3. DHS (Double Happiness)
Not much new in terms of blades or rubbers. I think that’s a bit of a missed opportunity. Every manufacturer has its own roadmap, of course. Launching new products — whether they hit or miss — is at least an attempt. Not everything can be as popular as Hurricane, but you’ve got to have something new.
On the national team rubber side, the relatively newer one is the Chen Yi series. I also noticed Huang Youzheng’s rubber — his backhand signature sheet is 39.5 degrees, also using the Hurricane 8 topsheet with orange No. 20 sponge. In practice, many national team players use rubbers harder than the signature versions. But for amateurs, you don’t necessarily need that level of hardness. The harder the rubber, the more boosting it requires.
There were also more DHS bags and jerseys on display. Previously the push was mostly on Li-Ning gear and apparel, but now the direction has shifted a bit — looks like they’re going with both tracks.
Pickleball has seen heavy entry from many brands now. Besides Reket and Joola’s established overseas names, DHS, Double Fish, Yinhe, and Victas are all getting into this space. It’s been growing in popularity in China and seems to offer new opportunities and margins.
For the rest of the DHS stuff, just enjoy the photos.
4. Double Fish
Balls and tables remain their strong suit, as always. On the blade side, there are some new models with rather evocative names: Fuguang, Cangyuan, Jingsha. Rubbers from Double Fish have quietly gotten quite good, even if market discussion is limited.
As for the Zhou Qihao Project Z — this Korean-made blade has seen some price fluctuation, but overall sales are solid. The value for money is genuinely good. I had a good chat with the head of Double Fish’s equipment division about the market and development pipeline. Maybe we should be looking forward to a Double Fish ESN rubber.
I also had a chat with the illustrious Monet.
Some of the smaller items were interesting.
5. XIOM
XIOM didn’t have a booth at the expo this year. Instead, they hosted a dinner at the Shangri-La Hotel. This was actually the brand that left the biggest impression on me yesterday — partly because after a full day of walking, I was pretty hungry.
Signing men’s team head coach Wang Hao was clearly a smart and meaningful move. XIOM is clearly anticipating more collaboration with the Chinese national team.
This company, founded just over 20 years ago, has built an impressive track record. Some competitors are trying to imitate them now. Tonight the Korean CEO was there, along with three key members of the R-and-D team. I walked out with three new rubber sheets to test.
This is their new “Tian Wu” series: Fierce (60.5 degrees), Violent (57.5 degrees), Courageous (55.5 degrees) — three rubbers. The hardness levels seem almost provocatively high, especially considering all three are Chinese-style sticky rubbers. But as always, we’ll reserve judgment until we’ve actually played with them.
Today, using a Chinese sticky rubber other than Hurricane for your forehand doesn’t necessarily mean inferior real-world performance compared to a sticky European rubber. That’s the genuine experience of many players now.
At the dinner, XIOM China’s General Manager Ji also touched on the topic of “fortune” and momentum. Shortly after signing Wang Hao, Wang Hao led the Chinese men’s team to a dramatic World Championships title. I don’t think fortune is mysticism. A person’s fortune has its ups and downs. When fortune rises, ride the wave; when it falls, stay grounded and patient. There may be many ways to build momentum, but I believe the most fundamental one — regardless of fortune — is to keep focusing on your own growth and becoming a better version of yourself.