I don't think any top player will play two entire tournaments (SSP and SS, no less) with a racquet that is supposed to be yet under development. If at all this is not the exact same as the commercial release, it would then qualify IMO as the RC (Release Candidate) i.e. which has already passed the stages of beta-testing. A possible scenario for YY's silence: that LCW possibly pushed to use this racquet because he was very pleased with it, and KKK/TBH jumped on the bandwagon. ...but Yonex is not yet fully prepared to make the market release. Many issues could be the reason; publicity campaign not ready; production not ramped up; distribution not fully on board....
what actual racket LCW uses and what it looks like can be 2 completely independent things. most Chinese players uses customized or special spec'ed version of their racket, some are even older model repainted. LCW could well be using a customized version of a racket that Yonex gave him. as for why use the new paint? it is about marketing. the fact that this thread has 30+k views within just a few week already speaks for itself.
Of course, that's a fundamental truth. So is observing that the sky is blue. About as useful as well. Not really news, I'd be surprised if it was just the Chinese players where this was the case. Why would they repaint them? Sure it could but if it was just some prototype or not something ready for release why not paint it like a VT-80. No doubt, but marketing what? Yes as I've mentioned twice, alot of buzz has been generated. If they're going to release a new model why not capitalize on that interest. It's good marketing to create a lot of interest but you have to capitalize on it. If you are going to release something why wouldn't you strike while the iron is hot? If you are just tweaking or customizing a racquet with no plans for any pending release then you've cost your selves potential VT-80 sales as people defer purchase in anticipation (in vain) of a possible near term release of a new product. I don't really have strong feelings about this I'm merely mystified by Yonex's strategy here. Especially given how they've acted during the release of past models.
Possible, but I remember other releases where they released promotional material well in advance of anyone seeing any prototype racquet. Either way it'll be interesting to see what happens with this leading up to the AE.
I'd really enjoy it if LCW reveals he's actually using an apacs racket painted with Yonex logos hehe. It would emphasise that the racket generally doesn't matter at all (and not just at the "amateur level"). But then 90% of people on this forum would still say otherwise. And before someone tries to argue with me, I'm not saying that the above is what I personally believe, so there's nothing to argue about with me at least hehe.
Nope, I think they are just tweaking some more by applying P rogram T emporary F ix in hope of forging LCW's Excalibur!
Bernama Sports Jan. 16, 2012 A happy Lee Chong Wei was pursued by the Malaysian Press yesterday after winning the Malaysian Open. One of the biggest questions posed to the World No. 1 was his "new" racket, and the fact that he won the first two Super Series tournaments with a racket that looked like a prototype Voltric. When asked about it, Lee Chong Wei made several revealing remarks for all racket enthusiasts. "I am somewhat glad that my new racket has garnered a lot of interest from the public. So much so that I was informed of a long (though useless) thread on one of the Internet forums regarding my new weapon of choice. But I am here to tell you that it is an APACS, dressed up as a Yonex. I have been secretly buying APACS for the last two years, disguised as a priest, and it has helped me accomplish a lot of success on the Super Series circuit. In fact I only used the Voltric once, during training, in which I was soundly beaten by Wong Choon Hann. After that I used APACS Tantrums exclusively. And do you really think Lin Dan won the World Championship using a Li Ning? It's actually a painted on APACS Slayer. Ditto Chen Long, who uses a dressed up Nano Power." There you have it, mystery solved.
That's what I would assume as well. VT80 production also started in December already prior to the All England release 2 1/2 months later in March. But still leaves open the final paintjob might differ ... (ARC10 production had also already started when the black ones were still in use)
Can someone tell me how Yonex has acted in the past before realeasing a top-of-the-range model? I wasn't around when the ones like Z-Slash were realeased, so I can't compare. Secondly, I don't know how the situation is in the big badminton countries like malaysia, but here in Luxembourg where we do have quite an established community, the players aren't as focussed on new racquets, many don't even now of the Voltric 80. I see that there's a lot of talk going on here on Badmintoncentral, but is this also true for other places?
I believe that the tendency of consumerism for badminton products is very high in south east asian region
Hmm, I think you have way too much free time on your hands. My personal take is that Yonex has some ingenious new marketing strategy. The sole purpose of which is to convert Twobeer into a Yonex fanboy.
Another shot taken from 2012 Victor Korean Open http://www.badmintondaily.co.kr/ These pictures are taken by the badminton journalist during the MS final, Lee VS Lin. Copyrights are belong to the journalist, Kim, Hong Kyoung, and the Badmintondaily http://www.badmintondaily.co.kr/
In that close up pic of the racket above, are my eyes tricking me or do I only count 3 shared holes on half of the racket?
That sounds very fishy. Why would Lee Chong Wei admit to the public that he has been using a racquet of another company repainted as Yonex? Would Yonex allow such news to be made public even if this information was true? How would Lee Chong Wei know the racquets that his opponents use? There you have it, mystery still fishy.
Looking at it carefully, I count 39 holes on one half of the racket, so does that mean it could be 78 hole design?
