World Top 30 Men's Equipment Setups, June 2026

Originally published 2026-06-03 · Translated & republished with permission

Updated monthly. Beyond the current world top 30, I also add a few notable players when appropriate, and try to include photos of more players’ bats. Any discrepancies are purely discrepancies.

The nearest important event is the US Smash in late June, so the picture of the stars’ gear updates only becomes complete and convincing around then. For this issue, let me just chat based on the recent situation.

Fan Zhendong: Fan Zhendong ALC custom, ZYRE-03, D09c. Xiaopang using ZYRE-03 on the forehand has clearly been a hot topic lately. But coming back to ourselves, while we can analyze why the stars switch, ultimately you have to start from knowing yourself — understanding your own style and traits — so you do not get led around and drift with the current.

1. Wang Chuqin: Q968, NEO blue national Hurricane, Hurricane 8-20 special. In the first year the Q968 and S968 launched, their price was clearly higher than the W968. Now it is reversed: the W968 is the pricier one. Why? I have said before, the Q968 is just a slightly harder W968, with nearly identical quality, so price has nothing to do with quality. The way I see it, those who would buy the Q and S bought them long ago, and the Sha-tou fans have already shown support. Those who do not like the Sha-tou pairing will most likely choose the W968.

2. Tomokazu Harimoto: Harimoto SALC, ZYRE-03, ZYRE-03. The Harimoto SA, my same-structure blade the Miao, and the Donic Lind have all made me pay more attention to one question: are there times when we should not obsess over ball quality — especially bottom power — and instead focus on error-tolerance, stability and ease of use? Last month at the alumni cup, I saw several alumni, all strong players in their school days, playing great with my Miao.

3. Moregard: Cybershape CWT (gold label), HELIX Platinum XH, HELIX Platinum XH. Many players following this account have basically sorted it out: in short, the DNA Platinum drives through and ramps speed more easily, while the HELIX Platinum adds spin and brushes more easily, and at the same hardness it feels a bit firmer. Also, HELIX is about to launch a hybrid version.

4. Felix Lebrun: Tibhar Felix, K3 Pro special, K3 Pro special. I had a quick try of the K3 VIP — this is the K3 with real punch, and the players’ version is probably close to it. The original K3 and K3 Pro do not have much power on the forehand.

5. Lin Shidong: outer ALC custom, NEO blue national Hurricane, D09c. This setup formula applies most of the time. If you cannot drive through D09c on the backhand, at most swap to a V15 Sticky or the tensor T05.

6. Sora Matsushima: Fan Zhendong ALC custom, D09c, ZYRE-03. Any player got the Butterfly 2024 new custom, the Fan A structure? If so, I will buy one. If it is the retail Fan A, I would personally rather pick the firmer Vis.

7. Lin Yun-Ju: Super Viscaria, Z03, D05. I tried the Z03 before, but never on a Super Vis forehand. Last month the Mozaiti, a Super Vis structure, was released, and feedback has been quite good — some are already rebuying ST and CS. A new batch of shakehand FL arrives this weekend; players who have not received their order yet will get it soon.

8. Hugo Calderano: Joola Hugo ARY-C, Trinity Charged on both sides. Word online is that Hugo’s 57.5-degree rubber feels the same as the Hurricane ZGR to some players. But I see the pip size is slightly different — I will play it myself in the coming days. The Hugo ARY-C is a green-aramid-carbon inner blade. I tried it at the Sports Expo, and the ball-holding and solidity are quite good.

9. Jang Woojin: W968, NEO blue national Hurricane, K3 Pro.

10. Qiu Dang: Viscaria custom, D09c, D09c. On the retail Vis I glued a D09c on the forehand and felt it was quite nice, better than gluing it on an inner blade before. From the instant grab to the blade’s support, it basically matches. Single-ball quality is roughly enough too.

11. Wen Ruibo: Luma hybrid carbon, NEO blue national Hurricane, DNA Hybrid XH.

12. Alexis Lebrun: Tibhar Alexis, K3 Pro special, K3 Pro special. Wen Ruibo and Alexis both use outer green-aramid carbon made by the same OEM factory, so their styles are actually somewhat close.

13. Benedikt Duda: Duda AFC, V>15 Sticky on both sides. For a budget D09c alternative on the backhand, the V15s is it.

14. Lind: Donic Lind Carbon, Bluegrip C2 special, Bluegrip C2 special.

15. Darko Jorgic: Tibhar Darko Carbon (its English name is Infinity Carbon, a heterogeneous structure), K2, MX-P Infinity.

16. Xiang Peng: W968, NEO blue national Hurricane, Jinghai C55.0. At the Chongqing Champions event, Xiang Peng’s backhand went from Hurricane back to the Jinghai C55.0. I did not see him play at the Worlds. Worth noting: the national players trying Jiaomeng rubbers may be tied to Wang Hao signing with Jiaomeng.

17. Shunsuke Togami: Fan Zhendong ALC custom, ZYRE-03, ZYRE-03. Valuing speed and direction-change in topspin rallies — this is the guiding idea behind many Japanese players switching to Z03.

18. Franziska: Franziska ZLC, D05 or Z03, D09c.

19. Kedun: Donic Nailiwen, Bluestar A1, Bluestar A1. Although it is slightly tacky, this A1 has a Hurricane-sponge-like solidity, and it is also a tensor you can brush thin with.

20. Simon Gauzy: Andro Gauzy, NUZN 55, NUZN 55. At its core, it is still a VCI, an inner green-aramid carbon.

21. Zhou Qihao: Double Fish PROJECT Z, NEO blue national Hurricane, D09c. A Korean-made outer green-aramid carbon.

22. Ovtcharov: Ovtcharov ALC (though the structure should be Vis), D09c, ZYRE-03.

23. Chen Yuanyu: gold-label Viscaria, NEO blue national Hurricane, K3 Pro.

24. Boleite: Andro ZCO, NUZN 55, NUZN 55. Using an outer-ZLC structure is rare these days. His game is mostly bread-and-butter balls, so a slightly springier blade is actually more comfortable.

25. An Jaehyun: W968, NEO blue national Hurricane, D09c. The 968 really is good — especially that forehand: load up, then spring it out.

26. Liang Jingkun: Liang Jingkun ADC custom, NEO blue national Hurricane, NEO orange national Hurricane. I just got the newest version of the Liang Jingkun custom, and I am about to try it.

27. Oh Junsung: Tibhar outer green-aramid carbon special, K3 Pro, K3 Pro.

28. Puka: Tibhar Alexis, K3 Pro on both sides. You know, this outer green-aramid-carbon Alexis is quite popular among Tibhar’s signed players.

29. Yukiya Uda: inner ZLC custom (G-FLESS handle), D09c, ZYRE-03. The Japanese team players seem to broadly believe the Z03 can help them get good results. Many of Butterfly’s signed players using these inner-ZLC structures use the denser ZLC, the SZLC. This player-custom structure — inner SZLC plus ayous core — is exactly what we built this year as the Super Heima, the Yinhe Heima-tuned MAX ZFC: firmer ball-bite, stronger spin, bigger bottom power.

30. Kanak Jha: Boll ALC, ZYRE-03, D05. In the Bundesliga final, Jha, who played the Super Vis last month, went back to the Boll A, and switched his backhand rubber from Z03 to D05.

That covers the world top 30. Below are some notable players, in no particular order.

Hiroto Shinozuka: Boll ALC custom, D09c, Z03. This Japanese men’s team has gone almost entirely to Z03 on the backhand. Their playing philosophy clearly differs from ours.

Kallberg: Boll ALC, D09c, D09c. Tried Z03 on both sides, found it really did not suit him.

Groth: Boll ALC, D09c, D09c. In other words, is the Boll A really that good to play?

Aruna: GEWO Aruna Hinoki Carbon OFF, Venom 53, Venom 53 green. The Venom 53 has a lot of power, but the Venom 48 is more like T05.

Omar: Butterfly Omar, D09c, D05. Forehand rubber changed from D05 to D09c. This Omar is also a custom, same structure as the Omar Limited.

Cho Daeseong: W968, NEO blue national Hurricane, NEO orange national Hurricane.

Robles: Tibhar Alexis, K3 Pro special, K3 special.

Yuta Tanaka: Ovtcharov ALC, ZYRE-03, ZYRE-03. Only spin can be sacrificed.

Lim Jonghoon: Butterfly Lim Jonghoon custom, D09c, D09c.

Lee Jeongsik: Yinhe 520X, NEO blue national Hurricane, NEO orange national Hurricane. The Yinhe today, whether outer or inner, has earned the approval of national-team-level players. The Heima-tuned KLC’s rebuy rate is very high now too.

Wong Chun Ting: Zhang Jike ALC custom, D09c, D09c. For players balanced on both wings, using the same rubber on both sides is no problem.

Pitchford: Zhou Qihao S-ALC 90, Hurricane ZGR, Hurricane ZGR. Injured.

Maharu Yoshimura: outer SALC custom, ZYRE-03 on both sides.

Karlsson: Korbel SK7, D09c, Z03. Another backhand Z03.

Koki Niwa: Koki Niwa ZC, V>22, V>15 Sticky. That is right — the V15s really is steady on the backhand.

Falck: Falck Carbon, Rakza PO short pips, Rakza X.

Yuya Oshima: SYNTELIAC VCI OFF, NUZN 55, Rasanter C53. The inner green-aramid-carbon VCI has become, after the Ligna, the blade used by the most Andro-signed players. Of course, my own Moyu is quite good too.

Freitas: Freitas ALC, D09c, ZYRE-03.

Alamiyan: Viscaria, D05, D05. The Alamiyan brothers use the same setup.

Eduard Ionescu: Tibhar outer green-aramid carbon special, K3 special, K3 Pro.

Yuto Muramatsu: Gangli Nanzi, MK Pro, Speedy Soft.

Huang Youzheng: Fan Zhendong SALC, NEO blue national Hurricane, NEO orange national Hurricane.

Yuan Licen: LOKI Yuan Licen custom, NEO blue national Hurricane, NEO orange national Hurricane.

Xu Yingbin: Carbon 190, NEO blue national Hurricane, DNA Hybrid 55. Backhand changed from Golden Dragon 57.5 to Hybrid 55.

Geraldo: Tomokazu Harimoto SALC, D05, D09c. This kid is also a gear addict. Not long ago he was on a Super Vis with Z03 on both sides. At the Tunisia Challenge, he switched to the Harimoto SA with D09c on the backhand.

Jarvis: Cybershape CWT, DNA Hybrid XH on both sides.