Singapore Smash: Inner vs Outer Blades, Who Came Out on Top?
WTT Singapore Smash: although the final results were roughly as expected, the process had its twists. And this event was, without doubt, another fierce clash between inner-fiber blades and outer-fiber blades. So this time, whose showing came out on top? We analyze it through the equipment-school lens.
Men’s singles
Champion Wang Chuqin: Q968, NEO Blue National Hurricane, Hurricane 8 (20# sponge) Runner-up Lin Yun-Ju: Super Viscaria, ZYRE-03, D05 Bronze Moregard: Cybershape 6 gold label, Helix Platinum 55° on both sides Felix Lebrun: Tibhar Felix, K3 Pro on both sides
Not only did the title go to an inner blade — three of the four semifinalists used inner structures. Once, we thought outer blades would become mainstream in the new-plastic-ball era. “Keeping a soft striking feel and good ball-holding while not lacking power” is the trait of inner-fiber blades, which many of our national players love. On that basis, the DHS custom 968 series has superb spin and arc-making ability plus high-explosive energy. An inner blade with strong overall deformation tension, paired with Hurricane on both sides, is a perfect match. The lymba face + ayous power-ply + KLC fiber layer + ayous big core 5+2 structure became the object every brand rushes to imitate.
For the classic 968, that thin handle and long face push the balance toward the head. And under small-to-medium power this blade clearly produces less than an outer ALC like the Viscaria. So you must make space and open your stance to swing it freely, fully bringing out the deformation — that is how to use it best. The Q968 is practically tailor-made for Wang Chuqin. A similar style is Yinhe’s PRK-520X.
Butterfly’s Super Viscaria, though its fiber weave is thicker and coarser and it is an outer ALC, feels very ball-holding, combining speed and spin better under medium power. Over the past year, Lin Yun-Ju tried dozens of blades to temporarily find a fit, and stumblingly swapped his long-beloved forehand T05 Hard for ZYRE-03 too.
Moregard has been steadier since switching rubber to the Helix Platinum. With this series, bouncing the ball does not feel so springy, but apply force and it becomes very springy, with fairly strong deformation tension. That is a surface portrait of both excellent control and explosiveness. This grippy-surface + small-pore cake-sponge combo lives up to being the new German-tensor flagship — really stunning.
In men’s singles, young Chinese player Chen Yuanyu also did quite well. He knocked out Hugo and lost 3-4 to Moregard in the quarterfinal, but grew fast overall. Gear: gold-label Viscaria, forehand NEO Blue National Hurricane, backhand K3 Pro. Lately several players switched their backhand to K3 Pro, including Wang Yidi and Jang Woojin — lightly-tacky German rubber is getting more attention.
Women’s singles
Champion Sun Yingsha: S968, NEO Blue National Hurricane, Hurricane 8 (20# sponge) Runner-up Wang Manyu: Fan Zhendong ALC, NEO Blue National Hurricane, D09c Bronze Winter: Andro New Core OFF/S, NUZN 55, Dr. Neubauer ABS 3 Pro anti-spin Chen Yi: W968, NEO Blue National Hurricane, D09c
Again the inner blade laughed last. In the women’s final, the inner-KLC S968 beat the outer-ALC Fan Zhendong ALC. For bronze, Winter used an all-wood five-ply; Chen Yi is also on the 968 series (previously the Pro-05x Max). The S968’s style differs from the W968 — visibly better backhand support and stiffness, a bit harder. Borrow-force and flick-hit are better. First-speed is faster too. It produces more off the bounce under small-to-medium power, meaning you do not have to apply full force every stroke.
From the above, two-winged looping players’ rubber now trends toward tacky on both sides. Among these, Hurricane on both sides, or forehand Hurricane + backhand lightly-tacky tensor, became mainstream.
Winter, the European top-16 women’s champion, again reached the Singapore semifinal — the biggest highlight of the women’s draw. Over the past few years, her technical-plus-equipment overhaul has been a huge success. This distinctive style makes many amateurs itch to try it.
Mixed doubles
Champions Hugo Calderano: Joola Hugo ARY-C, Joola Hugo Trinity Charged on both sides Bruna Takahashi: Andro VCI, NUZN 55 on both sides Runners-up Lim Jonghoon: Butterfly Lim Jonghoon, D09c on both sides Shin Yubin: S968, NEO Blue National Hurricane, NEO Orange National Hurricane
The Butterfly Lim Jonghoon is an Outerforce ALC structure, an outer blade. The other three are inner. Hugo’s gear has not launched, but as we understand it, it is precisely an inner green-arylate-carbon structure. His rubber resembles his wife’s — also a lightly-tacky German tensor. And Takahashi’s Andro VCI is also inner green-arylate-carbon. The two look well matched.
Shin Yubin’s 968, by structure, is the S968, but with a rose-red handle — a DHS custom for her. She actually played very well this event, only her opponent Wang Manyu was too strong.
Men’s doubles
Champions Alexis Lebrun: Tibhar Alexis, K3 Pro on both sides Felix Lebrun: Tibhar Felix, K3 Pro on both sides Runners-up Lin Shidong: outer ALC custom, NEO Blue National Hurricane, D09c Huang Youzheng: W968, NEO Blue National Hurricane, NEO Orange National Hurricane
From the inner-vs-outer angle, this was a draw. Honestly, today’s inner blades are raising first-speed — the Tibhar Felix, the S968 — while outer blades are ever more ball-holding — the Tibhar Alexis, the gold-label Viscaria. Inner and outer are converging.
Women’s doubles
Champions Miwa Harimoto: Harimoto SALC, D09c, D05 Hina Hayata: Hayata H2, NEO Blue National Hurricane, ZYRE-03 Runners-up Nagasaki Miyu: Harimoto SALC, T05 Hard, D05 Shin Yubin: S968, NEO Blue National Hurricane, NEO Orange National Hurricane
All inner-fiber blades — who wins and loses is plain to see. The high-tolerance, sped-up Harimoto SALC and the backhand-explosive S968 are top blades in today’s women’s game. On rubber, all the above are the most-favored hot picks.
Clearly, at this Singapore Smash, inner blades scored a temporary victory. But the Chongqing Champions will reignite the war. Who wins next time remains unknown.