Table tennis, predominantly known as Ping Pong, is a fast moving racquet sport requiring exceptional hand-eye coordination. Men and Women play either as individuals or in pairs and win points by hitting a lightweight ball over a net so that their opponents can't return it or are forced into an error. The game came into existence in the early 1900s in England where it was played among the upper-class people as an after-dinner game. The global governing body of Table Tennis is International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) which was founded in 1926.
To hit the ball over and across the net on the opponent’s side of the table so that the opponent can’t return the ball and score a point
The roots of table tennis originate from Victorian England and go to British India where British officials played similar variants of the modern sport by stacking up a row of books as nets and using two more books as rackets to hit a golf ball.
The name ping pong and table tennis were synonymous until 1901 when a trademark made it brand specific for J. Jaques & Son Ltd (who later sold it to parker brothers). Thus, several companies, manufacturers, and associations were forced to change their names from "ping pong" to "table tennis".
Another revolutionary change in the sport of table tennis came 1901, when James W Gibb, a British sports enthusiast, invented and introduced the celluloid balls.
The first table tennis governing body, called the Table Tennis Association, was founded in 1921, while the ITTF was founded in 1926.
- Celluloid balls were introduced in 1900; hence replacing the less efficient rubber and cork balls.
- The classic hard bat era lingered in between 1920 and 1950, marking the period of European dominance in the sports.
- The 1950s became the age of sponge bat and technology; henceforth marking the beginning of Asian dominance in the game.
- After the 2000 Sydney Olympics, the standard ball size was increased to 40 mm as to provide better and enhanced visibility of the ball during a live telecast.
- Plastic balls were first used in world championships and Olympics in 2016.
Singles
Men’s Singles or Women’s Singles events
Doubles
Men’s Doubles or Women’s Doubles events
Mixed Doubles
Pair of one male and one female player each side
Team
A table tennis team consists of three players.
Table tennis is played by men and women as individuals (one player each side) or as pairs (two players each side).
Spins
- Topspin- In this technique, the ball is hit at high speed by starting the stroke below the ball and hitting it in an upward and forward direction. It can be a forehand topspin as well as backhand topspin.
- Backspin- This technique is applied by taking a stroke above the ball and hitting it in the downward direction so that it bounces low and die immediately (so that the opponent can’t return it).
- Sidespin- This is a technique in which the ball is hit in a sideways motion and first bounces on the server’s side of the table and then to the receiver’s side that changes the trajectory of the ball and makes the shot tricky.
Grips
- Penhold grip- It is a grip in which the player holds the racquet handle in the same manner as holding a pen by clasping the handle between the thumb and the forefinger.
- Shakehand- It is the most common and easier grip in which the player holds the racquet handle in a way that he/she is performing a handshake.
Balls
- Table tennis balls are spherical solids having a mass of 2.7 grams and a diameter of 1.57 inches (40 mm).
- They are generally made white or orange, but the colour is chosen in contrast to the table to enhance its visibility for players and audiences. The ITTF rates table tennis balls (or ping pong balls) from one to three, with the third-star rating indicating a ball being the finest among others.
Table
- A ping pong table is 2.74 metres long, 1.525 metres wide, and 76 centimetres high. The IITF approves tables only made from wood or any other similar material.
- A ping pong table consists of a net in its middle, which divides the table into two equal parts.
Net
- According to the ITTF's rules and regulations, a net that is placed in the middle of a ping pong table should be six feet long and six inches wide and have an overhead white tape which is not more than 15mm wide.
Rackets
- A table tennis racket is strikingly similar to a regular tennis racket (except the fact that it is smaller in size) and is used to hit the ball back and forth on the table.
- It is made up of two parts - handle and blade - both made up of high-quality wood and laminated with rubber. The average size of a racket blade in table tennis is 6.7 inches long and 5.9 inches wide.
Table Tennis - Shoes
Shoes have non-marking soles that allow good ankle control and quick movements to the players.
Table Tennis - Shorts/Skirts
Men always wear shorts while women can wear shorts or skirts according to their choice.
Table Tennis - Shirt
Players wear lightweight short sleeved or sleeveless shirts.
Table tennis is played on a table which has a length of 2.74 m, the width of 1.5 m and the height of 0.76 m. It is divided into halves by a vertical net having the height of 15.25 cm. Usually, wooden tables are used having a dark colored playing surface (mostly dark green, dark blue or black). The center line on the table divides it vertically for doubles game.
Referee
He is responsible for the entire organization of the table tennis event.
Umpire
He controls the match, announces points and makes the call during the match.
Assistant Umpire
In international competitions, assistant umpire shares the umpire’s duties. Signals out of bound balls and can declare an illegal serve.
