Tahl's Search for the Perfect Racket

My name is Tahl Leibovitz. I first picked up a table tennis racket when I was 14 years old and have been playing Table Tennis ever since. Almost 25 years! I am a Paddle Palace sponsored player and have been sponsored by Stiga through Paddle Palace for quite some time. Because Paddle palace carries so many different types of equipment, I have been able to try out many competing brands such as Donic, Nittaku, Killerspin, Butterfly, TSP, Xiom, Avalox, Joola, Yasaka and Juic. For me one of the biggest challenges was being able to find the right equipment to suit my game. I was able to do it though a long process of trial and error.

For all players it is clear that choice of equipment is extremely important. I am very fortunate to be sponsored by Paddle Palace because this is something that they clearly understand. The Paddle Palace team knows that having the right equipment is vital to performing at our best and that is why they were insistent on providing me with a high degree of latitude in choosing the equipment that I felt comfortable with. To make a long story short, if I had preference for Nittaku I could use Nittaku, if I had a preference for Juic, I could use Juic and so on. After trying many different types of racket combinations and brands I found that Stiga equipment suited me best and I will explain why.

For it all begins with the racket. When I first started playing table tennis I began by using only sandpaper. I did not use any rubber on my racket for more than one year. The wood of a racket is very important to me. Anyone that trains with me will tell you that in the past have tried over 50 different rackets. The one racket that worked the best for me was the Stiga clipper classic.

I have been using the Stiga clipper classic for the past 8 years in all of my practice and tournament competitions. The reason the Stiga Clipper Classic works for me is because it is the only racket I have used where I can attack with good power and I can block with good control. Most rackets are either very fast with good attacking capabilities and not much control or excellent control with not very good speed. It also helps to know that the clipper classic is the most popular blade used in china. (Some players now in China are using the Clipper CR WRB because it weighs less and they use this blade if they are using very heavy rubber on their racket).

I really like the clipper classic because of its control and it adds a good speed to the ball. I use a master handle because I switch my grip a lot during the rallies. I recommend using a handle you are comfortable with. I also make sure that the blade weight is not above 92 grams. I try and get a clipper blade that is around 90 grams. I find that to be the perfect speed. I have paddle palace put a light coat of varnish to seal the blade and then when I get the blade I lightly sand it with very thin sandpaper. Also I sand the edges near the handle just a bit because they can be sharp when I am serving.

Since we have moved on to using water based glue there has been an introduction of new rubbers and most of the quality of these rubbers are just not that good, although recently they have been getting better. I have tried just about every rubber out there. I really like the Calibra LT Spin. The quality of that rubber is awesome and it plays amazing on the Clipper CR WBR or the Clipper Classic. Again, the quality of that rubber is outstanding. It reminds me of the old Mark V and Sriver rubbers. I was able to get a ton of spin when looping with that rubber and blocking was not a problem.

Many players use illegal boost on their rubbers and I can tell you that with the Calibra LT Spin you will not need to use any boost. The rubber is really good with out boosting and that is why I like it so much. It is the rubber I recommend to all my table tennis friends and students and it plays great on a Clipper Classic Blade or a CR WRB Blade. However, I do not use the Calibra LT Spin Rubbers!

Yep, as great as those rubbers are, I do not use them and here’s why. I had been using Stiga Boost TC ever since they changed to the water based glue and it was awesome. I really like that rubber. The reason I like rubbers like the Stiga Boost TC is because I have pain in my right hand and it is physically difficult for me to use harder rubber. I have severe tendentious in my right hand but, if I did not have this problem I was use Calibra LT Spin without question. With harder rubber I have to generate more hand speed and the inside of my wrist is moving a lot more which causes pain. Also I do not play middle distance. Now I am playing up at the table and have found a softer rubber works well for me. But I do not use boost TC any more either! Note: (When you glue the rubber use one coat on the blade and 2 on the rubber. Make sure to use a hair dryer when you are drying the rubber. In the near future I will try and put a video on the paddle palace website of myself gluing a racket).

Stiga came out with these new rubbers called Calibra Tour. They have an S version and an M version and an H version. I did not try the H version but tried the M version and the S version. The rubber is very different than anything I have ever seen. When you rub your hand over the top sheet it feels smooth and you can’t imagine getting any grip but when you play with the rubber it is different, you can get good spin and great control. The M rubber is awesome for smashing and blocking. The S rubber is great for controlling spin and blocking and looping with misdirection.

Because of the problems in my hand I chose to use the soft version of the Calibra tour. I wasn’t even going to try the rubber but I like the fact that it came in 2.1 thicknesses. Once I started using the rubber I was playing really good again. I was kind of weird. In 2013 I had a great year with some pretty awesome results. There was one player I was trying to beat for 15 years and could never win and then in a major tournament I won against him 11-9 in the least game!

Right now I am playing with Clipper Classic and Calibra Tour S and I couldn’t be happier. In the near future I am going to try out the clipper CR WRB with Calibra Tour M rubber just to see what it is like. It could be a cool combination. I like the way the Calibra tour M feels when I smash. I like the way the Calibra Tour S feels when it comes to blocking and returning serve. The main difference I notice with these rubbers is that incoming spin does not affect me as much. I can control spin very well with these rubbers.

Thanks for letting me share my thoughts on the wide range of great products from STIGA!

Tahl Leibovitz

Tahl's Recent Titles

• 2013 19^th World Maccabiah Games Gold Medalist
• 15 Para Pan-American Gold Medals
• 12 Time Paralympic National Champion Gold Medalist
• 8 Time US Open Paralympic Champion Gold Medalist
• 4 Time USA National Team Member Paralympic Games
• 3 Time IPC German Open Gold Medalist
• 3 Time New York State Champion
• 2 Time ACUI Collegiate Men’s Doubles Gold Medalist