Wang Chuqin Equipment Setup 2025: Q968 Blade, Rubbers & Full Analysis

Wang Chuqin is the most exciting player in table tennis right now. The 24-year-old left-hander from China reached world number one in 2024, winning the WTT Singapore Smash and establishing himself as the most credible challenger to the Ma Long generation. His game is built on explosive backhand power, an elite flicking game, and deceptive lefty sidespin that players across the world are still struggling to read.

His equipment is as distinctive as his style. Unlike most top players who run a hybrid setup — Chinese rubber on the forehand, tensor on the backhand — Wang Chuqin uses DHS Hurricane on both sides, making him one of the very few elite players at the top level to commit fully to an all-Chinese rubber configuration. This is a deliberate choice, and understanding why tells you a great deal about how he plays. Here is the complete breakdown.

Wang Chuqin's Current Setup at a Glance (2025)

Source: Equipment tracking by PingSunday, confirmed at WTT Singapore Smash 2024 and WTT Champions Chongqing 2025. Wang Chuqin's personal equipment uses custom topsheet and sponge compounds not identical to commercial versions.

The Blade: DHS Q968 Hurricane King

The Q968 is Wang Chuqin's signature blade, debuted at the WTT Singapore Smash in March 2023 when he first appeared with the Hurricane King in official competition. The name is a direct reference to his family name — "Wang" (王) means "king" in Chinese — and the "Q" stands for Qin. DHS had previously produced the Hurricane Long (Ma Long) and the Hurricane Hao (Wang Hao); the Hurricane King continues this lineage of DHS blades built around China's most dominant players.

Structurally, the Q968 is an evolution of the W968 that Ma Long uses — same fundamental 5+2 inner carbon architecture, same Limba outer plies, same philosophy of a blade that serves the rubber rather than fighting it. The key differences are in the core thickness and the tuning of the carbon layers. The Q968 uses a reinforced core (+0.5mm thicker than the standard W968), which increases rebound speed and gives the blade more inherent punch. The result is a blade that is noticeably more direct and faster than the W968, requiring less physical engagement from the player to generate pace — particularly important for a lefty who relies heavily on explosive backhand flicks from close range.

Q968 Specifications

Q968 vs W968: What's Actually Different

The Q968's higher natural rebound is crucial for Wang's backhand game. A slower blade like the W968 requires players to generate all their backhand speed from the swing alone — manageable for Ma Long, whose backhand is a secondary weapon. For Wang, who wins points directly with his backhand in short exchanges, a blade that contributes more natural pace without sacrificing dwell time changes how he can attack from close range.

👉 Browse our DHS Q968 Official Version and DHS Q968 Provincial Grade

Forehand Rubber: Hurricane 3 National — Blue Sponge (42°)

Wang Chuqin's forehand rubber is the DHS Hurricane 3 National in its blue sponge version, at 42° hardness on the DHS scale — the same configuration as Ma Long, Fan Zhendong, and most of the Chinese national team. The blue sponge is the hallmark of the national-grade Hurricane: a different compound from the commercial orange sponge that delivers greater elasticity while preserving the extreme tackiness of the topsheet. The rubber is applied boosted — Wang has been observed using Haifu Seamoon black oil booster, a common choice among Chinese national team players.

For a left-handed player, the forehand rubber configuration takes on a different tactical dimension. Wang's forehand attacks primarily from the crosscourt angle — to a right-handed opponent's backhand — with lefty sidespin that spins away from the target, making it extremely difficult to block consistently. The heavy tack of the Hurricane 3 National maximizes the sidespin Wang generates on his loop, giving his forehand a trajectory that defenders struggle to read even when they anticipate it.

👉 DHS Hurricane 3 National Edition — Blue Sponge

👉 DHS Hurricane 3 Neo National Edition — Blue Sponge

Backhand Rubber: Hurricane 3 National — Orange Sponge (38°)

This is where Wang Chuqin's setup becomes genuinely unusual. At the top level of men's singles, almost every player uses a fast European or Japanese tensor rubber on their backhand — Tenergy, Dignics, Fastarc, or equivalent. Wang uses DHS Hurricane 3 National on the orange sponge, at 38°. He is one of the very few elite players in the world to commit to an all-Chinese rubber setup for both sides.

The orange sponge Hurricane 3 is softer and faster than the blue sponge version, giving the backhand rubber a more manageable character without abandoning the tacky topsheet. The tack is critical for Wang's backhand game. His famous backhand flick — one of the most dangerous short-ball weapons in the sport — depends on the topsheet gripping the ball completely at the peak of the bounce and redirecting it with sidespin and backspin variation. A non-tacky tensor rubber would give him more raw speed on the backhand, but less ability to manipulate balls that land short and low on the table.

The choice also reflects his playing geometry as a left-hander. Wang's backhand, from a left-handed stance, attacks the right-handed opponent's forehand — the weaker receiving side. This means his backhand is often the initiating shot rather than the finishing shot. What it needs is consistency, spin variation, and the ability to execute flicks on very short balls. A tacky rubber answers all three requirements better than a tensor, at the cost of raw speed — a trade-off Wang has clearly decided is worth making.

👉 DHS Hurricane 3 National Edition — Orange Sponge

Wang Chuqin's Equipment History

Unlike Ma Long, who cycled through numerous manufacturers and configurations before settling on DHS, Wang Chuqin's equipment history is relatively compact — but each transition marks a clear leap in his career trajectory.

Phase 1: The Viscaria Years (2015–2021) — Hybrid Setup, European Backhand

Wang Chuqin rose through the junior ranks on the Butterfly Viscaria, one of the most popular blades in competitive table tennis. At the time, his backhand rubber was Butterfly Tenergy 05 — the classic hybrid configuration adopted by virtually every aspiring Chinese player aiming to combine Chinese forehand power with European backhand speed. This was the setup he used to break into the WTT circuit and establish himself as a genuine threat to the established Chinese hierarchy.

Phase 2: Signing with DHS, Moving to W968 (2021–2023)

When Wang Chuqin signed with DHS in 2022, he transitioned to the DHS W968 — essentially adopting Ma Long's blade. Shortly after, he replaced his Tenergy backhand with DHS Hurricane 8, then ultimately Hurricane 3, completing the move toward an all-Chinese setup. This was a calculated shift: he was betting that the additional control and spin variation from a tacky backhand rubber would make his short game and flicking game more dangerous, even if it meant sacrificing some backhand speed. The results validated the decision — his 2022 season included a win over Fan Zhendong at the WTT Champions Macao and a WTT Cup Finals title.

Phase 3: The Q968 Era (2023–Present)

The Q968 launch in March 2023 formalized Wang Chuqin's partnership with DHS and gave him a blade specifically tuned to his game rather than Ma Long's. The more responsive core compensated for the reduced backhand speed of the double Hurricane setup, giving him the punch he needs on backhand-to-backhand exchanges without having to swing as long. He has used this configuration to reach world number one and win multiple WTT titles. For complete results tracking, the official WTT rankings are updated weekly.

Why This Setup Works: Playing Style Analysis

Wang Chuqin's equipment only makes sense in the context of his playing style. He is a left-handed two-wing attacker with an unusually complete game for his age — powerful forehand loops from both the crosscourt and down-the-line angles, an elite backhand that functions both as an initiating weapon and a finishing shot, and one of the best flicking games on tour. Crucially, his serve is a weapon in its own right: he uses pendulum and shovel serves to generate lefty sidespin that most opponents still struggle with despite knowing it is coming.

The blade: speed without losing feel. The Q968's reinforced core gives Wang natural rebound that a player with his style needs. A slow blade like the original W968 works for Ma Long because Ma's backhand is primarily a blocking and positioning tool — the forehand ends points. For Wang, the backhand ends points too. The Q968 delivers enough inherent pace on the backhand side to make those exchanges viable without requiring the player to over-swing.

The forehand rubber: spin and sidespin above all. The Blue Sponge Hurricane 3 National, boosted, gives Wang the tack he needs to generate the lefty sidespin that is his primary forehand weapon. A non-tacky tensor would add raw speed but reduce the sidespin differential — the very quality that makes his forehand so hard to block.

The backhand rubber: touch over power. Choosing a softer, tacky Hurricane rubber on the backhand rather than a tensor is the most unconventional decision in his setup. It means his backhand is not his fastest shot — but it is his most controlled, most variable, and most disguised. His flicks pick up more spin variation than a tensor would allow. His short pushes are more precise. His receive is harder to predict. This is a player who wins through complexity rather than raw speed, and his backhand rubber reflects that perfectly.

What You Can Actually Buy: Getting Close to Wang's Setup

Tier 1: The Full Wang Chuqin Experience

Tier 2: Setup Hybride (Recommandé pour la majorité des joueurs avancés)

C'est d'ailleurs le setup que Wang Chuqin lui-même a utilisé pendant ses années Viscaria — Hurricane 3 en coup droit, Tenergy sur le revers. Ce n'est pas une solution de compromis : c'est ce qui lui a permis de s'imposer au plus haut niveau avant d'opter pour la configuration full-chinois.

Is Wang Chuqin's Setup Right for You?

✅ Consider this setup if:

— You are a two-wing attacker who initiates with both forehand and backhand equally

— You value spin control and disguise over raw backhand speed

— You already have experience with Chinese tacky rubbers and can activate them consistently

— You have an elite short game and want to maximize flicking and receive variation

— You are a left-handed player — the sidespin benefits of tacky rubber are amplified by lefty geometry

❌ This setup may not suit you if:

— Your backhand is primarily a blocking or counter-attack tool — a tensor will serve you better

— You prefer the elastic, springboard feel of European rubbers on both wings

— You are still developing your technique — Chinese rubbers on the backhand particularly punish timing errors

— You have never used a DHS Chinese rubber before — start with the hybrid Tier 2 setup and transition when ready

Conclusion

Wang Chuqin's equipment tells the story of a player who chose control and complexity over speed and accessibility. At every transition — from Viscaria to W968, from Tenergy to Hurricane, from W968 to Q968 — he moved further toward a setup that demands more from the player and gives more in return. The all-Chinese double Hurricane configuration is one of the hardest setups to use effectively in modern table tennis, and Wang Chuqin uses it to be world number one.

For players considering this path, the message is clear: start with the hybrid approach, master the forehand Chinese rubber first, and transition the backhand only when your short game and timing are genuinely ready. The potential ceiling is enormous — as Wang has demonstrated at the highest level.

Not sure where to start? Contact us — we'll help you find the right entry point for your level and your game. Free personal advice, always.