Racket Insight is an independent publisher dedicated to Table Tennis, founded in 2021 by a qualified coach and umpire. We cover equipment reviews, coaching guides, playstyle analysis and the community stories that make this sport what it is, written by players who actually compete and train.
- Independent reviews. We buy most of the equipment we review. When a product is sent for review, we say so in the post.
- Qualified writers only. Every contributor is a competitive player, coach, or both. No generic affiliate content.
- Hands-on testing. We play with the equipment before writing about it. Specs and marketing copy are never enough.
- Transparent affiliate links. We use GeniusLink (geni.us) to earn a commission on purchases. This never changes our recommendations. Read more about how we operate.
Racket Insight By The Numbers
Meet The Team
Most websites these days are anonymous black holes where you don’t really know who has written the content. Racket Insight is different. Every article is written by a competitive player or coach, credited by name, with their own equipment and playstyle on record.
David Bruce
David's a qualified table tennis coach who's been playing for over 20 years. He's competed in national team and individual competitions in England, and now plays league matches in Australia.
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Alvaro Munno
Alvaro's a qualified ITTF Level 1 Coach who's been playing Table Tennis since he was 15 and is now ranked within the top 50 in his native Argentina.
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Xinyu
Xinyu started playing table tennis when he was 8 years old in China. He has trained with the Chinese provincial team and now plays competitively in the Spanish national league.
View all postsDavid’s Credentials
Racket Insight was founded by David Bruce, a Table Tennis player, coach and umpire now living in Sydney, Australia. For transparency, here are the qualifications behind the reviews and coaching content:
- Playing since age 10. Competitive player in local and regional junior leagues in the UK, then university team player touring the UK for 3 years.
- Qualified coach. Earned a coaching qualification in England via a Gillette Great Start grant, with several years of coaching at university and local club level.
- Qualified umpire. Umpired at national events in England.
- Active competitor. Still plays competitively and adds Badminton and Tennis to the racket sports routine.
You can reach David directly at david@racketinsight.com, through our Contact Us form, on Quora, or on Reddit.
David’s Story
Early Years
I’ve been playing Table Tennis since I was a little kid, when my Dad would take me to the local sports hall and we’d play in one of their squash courts. I was a shy kid back then and hated the idea of playing at a club. It’s hard to convince a 10 year old to do something they don’t want to do.
Fortunately, it only took a couple of years for my parents to convince me to try the local after-school Table Tennis club. After only one night there, I was hooked.
I joined a group of kids being trained by a coach who had a passion for bringing new players into the sport. Looking back, he dedicated so much time and energy without ever asking for money outside of court hire. These are the people that sports all around the world rely on to bring new players in, and his influence is what I credit for my continual improvement and building passion for the sport.
Competitive Years
Over the first few years I trained to improve and started playing in my local league. Anyone who’s played “local” matches before will be familiar with small community halls, churches, dance studios and all manner of weird venues hosting weekly Table Tennis matches. I loved those nights, often playing until past 11pm with a real competitive spirit.
I then moved into our regional junior league, taking on under-18 players from across our region. As I continued to grow, both in age and ability, I started beating some strong players and playing Table Tennis was often the highlight of my week.
Then, at 17, it became a conscious decision not to ramp up training toward a national level. I was a good player, but there were players coming through a few years younger with more talent and ability. Instead I chose to focus on my education and continue playing Table Tennis for fun.
Coaching & Umpiring
At University I joined the Table Tennis team. Over my 3 years there, we toured the UK on Wednesdays playing different Universities. Day trips to Durham, Manchester, Edinburgh, Sheffield and more were highlights of my University days. I continued to improve as a player but also transitioned into coaching.
To earn my coaching badge, I received a grant from Gillette (yep, razors) and even met Sir Chris Hoy. Definitely a highlight. I spent a few years coaching at my university club, followed by a few years coaching locally. It’s incredibly rewarding helping players find shots, techniques and strategies they didn’t even know they could pull off.
During this time I also met another local hero in the North-West of England who encouraged me to get my umpiring qualification. If anyone wants to appear at the Olympics, that’s probably the easiest way. Understanding all the intricacies of Table Tennis rules at competition standard was a learning curve, and I’ve enjoyed umpiring at various national events.
Today
Jumping forward to today, I’m still as much in love with the sport as I always was. I’ve added Badminton and Tennis to my racket skills armoury and I could never see my life being complete without some competitive racket sports to bring me energy.
Racket Insight is my way of sharing a little of that energy and passion with readers across the world.
Our Mascots
You’ll spot these little guys around the site. I consider them our mascots. They’re how our editorial and writing teams communicate internally, and they’ve earned their place on Racket Insight.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who writes the articles on Racket Insight?
Every article is written by a qualified coach or competitive player, credited by name. Our current writers are David Bruce (founder, qualified coach and umpire), Alvaro Munno (ITTF Level 1 Coach, top 50 ranked player in Argentina), and Xinyu (trained with the Chinese provincial team, now competing in the Spanish national league). You can see each writer's full background, playstyle, and equipment on their author page.
Do you receive free products to review?
We buy the vast majority of equipment we review. Occasionally a brand sends a product for review consideration, and when that happens we disclose it clearly within the article itself. Receiving a product never guarantees a positive review.
How do you test table tennis equipment?
We play with every piece of equipment we review before writing about it. For rubbers and blades that means multiple training sessions and competitive matches, typically across several weeks. For tables and robots we set them up and use them in real home and club conditions. Specs and marketing copy are never enough on their own.
Are your affiliate links paid placements?
No. We use GeniusLink (geni.us) affiliate links to earn a small commission on purchases, at no extra cost to you. Brands cannot pay us to rank higher or recommend a specific product. Our rankings are based on hands-on testing and the collective experience of our coaches. Read more on our How We Operate page.
Can I suggest a product or topic to cover?
Absolutely, we welcome suggestions from the community. Email david@racketinsight.com or use the Contact Us form. Reader questions often turn into some of our most popular guides.
How often is your content updated?
We publish new reviews and guides regularly, and we revisit older articles when equipment gets discontinued, prices shift significantly, or a better alternative lands on the market. Review pages show the last updated date where relevant.
Get In Touch
The fastest way to reach David is by email at david@racketinsight.com or through our contact form. Not sure which racket suits you? Try our Playstyle Quiz for a personalised recommendation in under a minute.