Site Products
Ask The Experts: Jörg Bitzigeio, No. 268

Ask The Experts: Jörg Bitzigeio, No. 237

Posted on

Ask The Experts: Jörg Bitzigeio, No. 237
Butterfly Table Tennis Question and Answer

Question:

Hi,
I want to buy a new blade from your website. Could you please help me buying it ? I am looking for Tiago Apolonia ZLC or Marco fretias ALC. I want control in the blade in my game also want to block incoming topspins, I also play aggressively topspins as well . So kindly recommend me which one I should go for and why ? I read on Butterfly website that reaction(speed) time is higher on MF ALC comparatively TA ZLC, but technically ZLC is faster than ALC so why TA is slower than MF ? Is it because of 2 layers of limba which is softer outside on TA ? Correct me if I am wrong, Kindly elaborate both blades performances. I am learning and taking coaching, learning techniques and I am an intermediate player. If i have to choose from mentioned blades which one you recommend and what do you think your advices are also welcome you also advise me which blades I should go for ? If I have to choose Waiting for your reply impatiently.

Answer: 

image004

This Ask the Experts question was answered by Jörg Bitzigeio. He is the High Performance Director of USATT.Coach Bitzigeio’s response is as follows:

Hello Vishal,

I hope you are doing fine and I like to read that you are interested in using Butterfly products, which have a really high quality!

Both paddles you are looking for are very good and it’s not possible which is better in general. The question is which best fits you personally.

The way you describe your playing style, I personally would recommend you go with an ALC blade instead of a ZLC, because ALC has a little bit more control. It is not as fast as ZLC and will help you not only with attacking, but also with blocking incoming topspin balls, too.

Finally, you will need to figure it out when you will play it, but I’m sure, you will enjoy it.

Good luck!

Jörg

Latest News

Let the Ball Come Into the Racket

January 23, 2026
Robot plays one topspin ball to long wide Backhand, Logan Backhand chop block (HACK) close to the table… Read More

Lucca Lobo Tournament Highlights

January 23, 2026
(by: Bowmar Sports) In this Bowmar Sports Tournament Highlights, Lucca Lobo is in action in a tournament https://youtu.be/d3UDeAVY__E  … Read More

MLTT Championship Weekend Announced!

January 22, 2026
Bay Area to Host 2026 MLTT Championship Weekend April 18–19 MLTT Championship Weekend will officially be held in… Read More

A Little Hop There

January 21, 2026
Robot plays one topspin ball to long Backhand, Logan Backhand chop block (HACK) close to the table off… Read More

When Should You Play in Tournaments?

January 19, 2026
(By Larry Hodges, Member of US Table Tennis Hall of Fame, www.tabletenniscoaching.com/blog)   The short answer is .… Read More

WAB CLUB FEATURE: Orange County Table Tennis Academy

January 18, 2026
(by Steve Hopkins) The Orange County Table Tennis Academy (OCTTA) features 10-15 tables, professional flooring, great lighting, plenty… Read More

Jha Leads Dusseldorf to ETTU Win

January 18, 2026
(by Steve Hopkins, photo ETTU) Borussia Dusseldorf is one of the most successful German League squads and one… Read More

Zhu Yuling Rules Doha (Again)

January 18, 2026
(by Steve Hopkins, photo WTT) There have been two WTT tour events so far in 2026, but there… Read More
View All News

Get the latest from Butterfly

Stay “In The Loop” with Butterfly professional table tennis equipment, table tennis news, table tennis technology, tournament results, and We Are Butterfly players, coaches, clubs and more.