Which rubber gives more back spin (reversal) ? Frictionless LP or High Friction LP ?

[Anastasio Samosa]

One of the biggest myths & misunderstanding is the fact that many players most of whom have been even in the sport for a while, seem to think that Frictionless Long Pips provide more back spin & spin reversal than High Friction long pips.

It is not clear as to why this has to be so confusing.
While it is true that there are 10 or so pip design parameters that determine the overall behavior of a long pips rubber, it is well known that almost all the top (away from the table choppers used only one brand Feint Long 1 (before the Durban 1998 Aspect Ratio Fiasco) & Feint Long 2 & 3 afterwards. While Feint Long 1 was hands down the best chopper rubber in the 38 mm ball era, Feint Long 2 is a piece of garbage in the 40+ plastic ball era, though it seems to be the ONLY chopping rubber available now as chosen by all top choppers)

So what makes it the best chopping rubber ? Because it is a high friction long pips rubber with the top of the pips being rough, as compared to say Tibhar Grass Dtec which seems to be preferred by all close to the table blockers.

Again, there are about 10 pip design parameters that determine overall pip behavior, usually (but not always) a rubber with rough pip top is an away from the table choppers' rubber& gives more back spin & spin reversal & a rubber with smoother pip top usually is a rubber for at the table blocking and disruptive play.

Usually a high friction chopper LP rubber (with rough pip top) is also more flexible compared to a blocker's frictionless blocking type LP with more disruption.

However TSP P1 Curl, which was the excuse given by ITTF for passing of the 1998 Durban Aspect Ratio massacre did also have rough pip tops but far more flexible compared to any pip causing lot of disruption (due to sudden "kinking" (exact word used by ITTF not me) of the pips) . Pip Length really had nothing to do with this kinking since Feint Long 1, Yasaka Phantom 007, Double Fish 1615 all were the longest). But ITTF incorrectly used pip length (as in Aspect Ratio) to ban TSP Curl P1 (old version) and Feint Long 1 but strangely left Phantom 007 & Double Fish 1615 legal (to this day in 2022.

Same situation with RITC 755 , which is legal as of today after 1998 though it has high disruption both due to pip tops being glasslike smooth and pips are quite flexible (kinky) . Then how did escape the 1998 Durban Aspect Ratio Massacre ? It escaped because the pips were not longest like Feint Long 1 or TSP Curl 1 (old version) . Yes it was best all around rubber in the 38 mm ball era though Deng Yaping used it only for close to the table blocking and she almost never chopped. So why do many players think it is a great spin reversal rubber ? Just because Den yapping used it LOL . Very similar why Tibhar Grass Dtec is a chopping rubber ..because Joo Sehyuk used it for a while in desperation after his failing to win many close titles using Feint Long 2 or 3 (while the actual reason e for hos nor winning the whole thing is lower & useless aspect ratio in the 40 and 40+ ball era). Players like Joo Sehyuk or Hou Ying Chao or Mima Ito can use any crap and be ALMOST at the to but they are not at the very top because they are using wrong rubbers Hou Ying Chao is not using High Aspect Ratio long pips & Mima Ito should probably be using medium pips like Deng Yaping did)