(By Truong Tu)
I recently switch to Dignics 09C on my forehand. I have been using Dignics 09C for about 20 hours now and I am very pleased with the result.
Before becoming a WE ARE BUTTERFLY Coach, I had used Chinese rubber for quite some time. With the Dignics 09C, the feeling is very similar to tuned-Chinese rubber. I am an all-out attacker, so the first few balls are very important as I seek to gain advantage early in the point. I depend heavily on my serve to create a third-ball attack opportunity; with Dignics 09C, my serve quality improved significantly. I am able to put much more spin on the serve without the ball drifting long. Moreover, I only need to brush the ball with a quick and small stroke to generate spin, this is a great help in disguising the spin of my serves.
Another important aspect of my game is serve return. Thanks to the very sticky top sheet, drop shots and half-long loop returns off of serve is easier. I also found that my deep push returns are also faster and spinier, forcing the opponent to make a weak opening and setting up my counter loop.
Not only has my touch improved, the consistency and power of my game have also moved to the next level. Again, the sticky top sheet holds the ball nicely, and the spring sponge X does a great job of shooting the ball out with high speed. Looping underspin is easier as well and I feel that I can add more power to the underspin loop without worrying that the ball will fly long. Moreover, the ball trajectory drops faster when hitting the other side of the table which indicative of the large amount of topspin being applied to the ball. Counter-looping with this hard sponge is easier – providing high-quality counter topspin that can withstand the opponent’s rotation. Another significant improvement is my loop from under-the-table – with other rubber sheets, I was only able to spin the ball slowly up from under the table with a high angle, but with Dignics 09C, I am able to loop in such a way that the ball moves up and forward – generating a fast loop even with low ball.
Another positive thing about Dignics 09C to me is the rubber is very easy to play with as the tackiness allow returning the ball more accurately even with imperfect strokes and techniques.
A tip to keep the tackiness of the rubber: (1) clean the rubber regularly, and (2) Use the tacky protection sheet that comes with the rubber when you out it away.
