Butterfly Fan Zhendong ALC

Obviously, this blade is blowing up now because it is advertised and named after world number 1, and in my opinion, best player ever: Fan ZhenDong.

Comparing it to regular Viscaria since they are both ALC blades with the same composition, I feel like the FZDALC is more controllable, but a bit lacking in speed compared to the Viscaria.

Both generate good amounts of spin, but sometimes it depends on the rubber and traction choices too.

For rubber choices, I recommend harder rubbers (I use T05H) on the forehand, and medium to medium-hard rubbers (I use T64/ T19) on the backhand.

For intermediate players, I recommend using Donic Baracuda on both sides. You won’t regret that decision.

Decent blade for an intermediate player.

After 4 years playing with a DHS Malong 3 (7-ply all-wood blade), I felt it was time to try something new. The ML Long 3 is a fantastic blade with excellent feel and speed, but it lacked the sharpness needed to finish points consistently.

One of my friends switched to an Innerforce ALC blade, which offered astonishing control and had the potential to make a difference. The FZD ALC is more direct compared to the ML3 and Innerforce ALC. I didn’t expect such an offensive blade to have such good control. It grabs the ball momentarily and releases the power when you strike hard or place the ball short and low over the net. This is remarkable because I’m using T05 rubber, which is known for its bounciness.

On my forehand, I use Dignics 80, which was extremely fast on the ML3 blade. However, with the FZD ALC blade, I can generate more spin due to the noticeable moment of grip and release. Backhand Chiquita shots are direct and can be dangerously fast. Mid-distance forehand loops are easy to execute due to the built-in grip and power release. Service receive is extremely spinny because of the grip aspect.

Nice control and balance. Good for short and mid-distance play. I’m still adjusting to long balls, but it still performs well in gameplay.

Not amazing blades, still better than LGY ALC and Otcharov ALC in its class.

Sorry for the formatting issues.