let me correct that for you yonex is trying their best to fool customers into buying their latest models using superstars there...fixed...
Well every brand uses stars to attract consumers to buy. Y, LN or V... There are mouths to feed. That is business. Most high level players are definitely not using the same rackets that is available to the public. It's an individual choice. We can also choose Apacs. Or some oem brand. Anybody wearing a pair of these because they make you run or walk faster?
I'm very interested in knowing weight-classes of the Astrox series which a few MS and MD players are using. Preferably, not based on your opinion, but facts (picture, seen it, heard from someone seen it, going to an event, you are a personal/official stringer). Eg. I can confirm that Jan Ø. Jørgensen is using AX99 4U/4G by going to a tournament here in Denmark visiting the stringing team. And, Axelsen used the AX88S previously in the 3U/G5 version from his fb page. There is a great amount of difference in playability, and this information is often overseen in marketing material. I saw that someone pointed out that Ginting is using the AX88D in the 4U/(G5) version. How about Jonathan Christie's AX88D? Brice's. prev. used AX88D? Momota both when using AX88D and now the AX99? LCW's AX99, LD's painted AX99? MD: Sukamuljo's AX88S, Gideon's AX88D, Kamura's AX88S, Sonoda's AX88D, Kim Astrup's AX88S? Thanks in advance.
If you look back in the thread you'll see a post from one of the mods showing Momota's using a 4U Astrox 99. Sent from my SM-G965W using Tapatalk
Honestly, it's probably not what he is using. It was a 4ug4, and momota is clearly not using a g4 grip. So that was probably a backup racket local yonex gave in case he breaks all his others, and they only had 4ug4 there.
Or may be 4u or may be custom, or may be he just tokes one out of the bag and does not give a **** about 'u'
If you would ask most of the pros you would be surprised, even LD is switching between astrox and zfII, which is like miles apart, Zeng Shiwei switching between generations of rackets and etc..
I mean, the choice between it being a random thing, and that LD just so happens to have custom painted AX99s in his bag just because.. They definitely care about their racket choice. LD even has favourite rackets amongst the ones he uses anyway. They don't just randomly swap weight class for their racket of choice. They'll trial it in training, and if they like it, it'll eventually get to the stage LD is at, where he's testing it in tournament situations.
not only in his bag, but he was playing different rackets in one match in SS tournament, as per this thread
Saw a post in FB regarding that lucky guy gets LDF from LD being restrung It's very clear can see the energy boost cap in the photos.