Weight
83g
Thickness
5.6mm
Plies
5-ply
Head Size
157x150
Handles
FL / ST
Material
AllWood
Head Shape
Standard
Balance
Balanced
Fuga
Xiom Fuga is a 5-ply all-wood blade engineered for aggressive, close-to-table topspin play, perfectly suiting a Chinese-style game. Its thin profile and hard, thin Koto outer veneer deliver a sharp, direct feel and crisp feedback. Softer inner Spruce and Ayous plies add flexibility and enhance dwell time, enabling significant spin generation. This combination provides excellent control and stability for attacking strokes, allowing players to dominate fast exchanges. Lightweight and quick to accelerate, it's a potent weapon for offensive players who thrive near the table.
This symmetrical 5-ply construction features hard Koto outer plies for a sharp feel and direct response. Softer Spruce and Ayous inner plies enhance flexibility, dwell time, and spin generation. The thin outer veneer ensures the hardness doesn't compromise the blade's overall flexibility and stability.
TT Sensei Ratings
✦Our expert analysis of this blade's performance characteristics
Xiom Fuga is rated as an OFF- blade, providing a good level of speed optimized for aggressive play. While not as fast as some carbon or thicker all-wood blades, its speed is perfectly tuned for close-to-table attacks and powerful topspin strokes. The blade's flexibility allows for excellent power transfer, especially when paired with harder rubbers on fast loops.
Fuga offers excellent control, thanks to its flexible nature and long dwell time. This allows for precise ball placement during short game exchanges and controlled attacking strokes. The combination of good feel and stability makes it manageable even for intermediate players developing an aggressive game.
Fuga delivers a relatively sharp and compact feel due to its hard Koto outer plies. While the inner plies provide flexibility and dwell, the overall sensation is direct and crisp, giving players a clear sense of ball contact. Some users find it slightly harder than expected for an all-wood blade.
Xiom Fuga generally has a low to medium throw angle. This characteristic is beneficial for powerful, linear shots close to the table, making returns difficult for opponents. However, it may require players to adjust their technique to lift the ball over the net when playing from mid to far distances.
The blade's construction, with flexible inner plies and a 5.6mm thickness, creates significant dwell time. This allows the ball to sink into the racket face, enabling players to impart substantial spin, particularly on powerful topspin loops.
Fuga is considered a flexible blade, a characteristic that enhances its dwell time and spin-producing capabilities. This flexibility allows the blade to bend and snap the ball during powerful strokes, though it can make blocking feel less stable compared to stiffer alternatives.
Vibration on Xiom Fuga is generally moderate. It provides a clear feel of the ball while being designed to minimize unnecessary noise and vibration, contributing to a more focused and controlled impact sensation.
Xiom Fuga is generally praised for its solid build quality and finishing at its price point. The use of natural wood veneers and well-executed construction contributes to a durable and reliable feel, perfectly suited for its intended offensive playing style.
Technology
Xiom Fuga is part of the 'Novus Speedwood' series, developed to complement new rubber lines. This series utilizes unique veneers like Spruce and Koto, chosen for their specific characteristics in hardness, density, and vibration. Fuga's construction employs hard, thin outer Koto plies and softer inner Spruce and Ayous plies. This design aims to balance a sharp, direct feel with enhanced flexibility and dwell time, optimizing energy transfer and vibration management for aggressive, spin-oriented play close to the table.
Similar Blades
Stiga Infinity
Both Xiom Fuga and Stiga Infinity are popular 5-ply all-wood blades often compared by players. Infinity is generally considered slightly faster and possibly stiffer, while Fuga is noted for superior control and spin due to its longer dwell time and flexibility. Players typically choose between them based on preference for raw speed versus enhanced dwell and feel.