It seems Lee Chong Wei has switched back from the LTD version of the Z force to the original. This photo is from the Hong Kong Open 2012.
Must be because I started using the original hehe. It looks better anyway. Wasn't the LTD mainly (marketing) for the Olympics?
Hahaha, i was not stating it in this thread. I have tried those limited edition player edition rackets ( Arc10PG, 900PLC, AZTH ) in SP code but has not tried the player issued code, so i can't really comment much. However, i am stick with my original comment that player issued racket differ to commercially issued racket. As whether it is beneficial to the users or not is questionable, since it will take into account your technique, stamina, footwork, a lot of other factors which is more important rather than the racket itself.
yeah , it was. But i thought LCW prefered the LTD vesion because he did use it for a few tounaments after the London olympics. And he does like yellow-coloured racquets.
@licin thx for reply. Sometimes I wonder too whether commercially sold rackets crack n chip easier so that we can buy more n they earn more, bt pros have like almost unlimited supply of rackets from the company so if the pros rackets spoil easily they will spend a fortune replacing them, so the company makes those pro rackets more durable or strong or something...
He always did that,remember?From AT700OC,Yonex wanted Lindan to change to AT900P,and AT700LTD,with commercial poster that's made with LD's picture,but LD didn't want to change. Have u guys ever wonder if he's actually still using the AT700OC repainted to N90??
What you have said may have some merit If you compare the recesses grommet groove of the N90 and the AT700 (all excluding the 2012 Premium), you will notice that on the N90, the recess starts on the 16th grommet from the throat while on the AT700, the recess starts on the 21st grommet (also) from the throat. When you compare the high resolution pictures of Lin Dan's racquet, you will notice that for most of the "older" pictures show the conventional N90 frame design: However, if you compare the pictures above to the racquet that LD used in the 2012 Olympics.. The start of the frame recess is on the 21st grommet, which is similar the AT700 design. The racquet in question even has the U shaped grommets at the throat which the N90 does not have In conclusion, there are two major possibilities which could explain why, which are: 1. Lin Dan had Li-Ning make an exact outer-physical copy of the old AT700 for his new N90 (you can see that the N90 he used in the 2012 Olympics have the new Li-Ning logo at the butt cap while he had always used the old logo N90 prior to this). The physical profile of the racquet frame can change the swing feel of the racquet, which maybe what LD was aiming at achieving with the "new" N90. 2. He simply convinced the Li-Ning racquet factory to repaint his most competition-trusted AT700 collection Which ever the truth is, it does not change the fact that the N90 is a decent racquet which has a different feel but at the same time almost better ratings on most of the performance criteria compared to AT700OC.
Personally, I'd guess he had Li Ning build him sth as close as possible to his previous AT700. While I can't be sure, I think he wouldn't have too many ATs left over - and with the rate most pros go through rackets, he would've needed at least 20 near-perfect ones in the Olympic preparation+competition alone (he seems to be rather sensitive about the weight/BP, as he sometimes puts back a fresh racket after the test hits and looks pretty angry every time he has to change a racket due to the string breaking in a match against LCW). However, you can't be too sure about anything with that squad - I for one can't believe how many take the N50 and N70. Both are rather flexible rackets, at least those they sell here in Germany, and I find it very hard to believe those super-fast guys are more tolerant towards that than club players of my level. Otoh it makes no sense to produce a different N70 for Cai Yun when he is/was adverdised to use the N33 (might as well make his custom racket look like an N33, then). Still waiting for the day someone manages to get a racket from a pro and saws it open to compare with a standard version of the same model
Smichz, & Blitzzards, thanks for shedding us some light about this. Good to you guys that still have AT700OC to play with, wondering when i could have my own.
Actually, if you look closely at the non-shared grommets, they are really the same large double-pass grommets as those on the AT700 (meaning large non-shared holes, unlike the N90). That might still very subtly change the overall vibration damping feel of the racquet frame So far I have not come across any hi-definition pictures that show that they are rectangular/flat at the top..
This theory that LD's racquet could potentially be an AT700 in N90 disguise is very interesting. If we can pull together some more hi-def images between us, I'm sure the brains around the table will be able to fathom out this idea. I'm subscribed to this!
Yeah, but that's a little easier to tell given that the ZS has a distinctively smaller head shape. TH never used the ZS for long as I understand it, besides at least both ZS and Arc10 are Yonex racquets. But if it turns out that the N90 was actually an AT700 that would be a huge news.
Hi All, I know this is just an exhibition match in soft opening of Taufik Hidayat Arena. But anyone know what racket was Taufik use in this picture : Taufik with Jokowi(Governor of Jakarta) This is the video Soft opening of Taufik Hidayat Arena : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKsEytwSCZw
