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Table tennis

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"Ping Pong" redirects here. For other uses, see Ping Pong (disambiguation).

Table tennis

Table tennis at the highest level

Highest governing body ITTF

Nickname(s) Ping-pong

First played 1880s England

Characteristics

Contact No

Team members Single or doubles

Mixed gender men, women or other

Categorization Racquet sport, indoor

Equipment celluloid, 40 mm

Olympic

1988

Table Tennis, also known as ping-pong, is a sport in which two or four players hit a

lightweight, hollow ball back and forth using table tennis rackets. The game takes place on a

hard table divided by a net. Except for the initial serve, players must allow a ball played

toward them only one bounce on their side of the table and must return it so that it bounceson the opposite side. Points are scored when a player fails to return the ball within the rules.

Play is fast and demands quick reactions. A skilled player can impart several varieties of spin to the ball, altering its trajectory and limiting an opponent's options to great advantage.

Table tennis is controlled by the worldwide organization International Table Tennis

Federation (ITTF), founded in 1926. ITTF currently includes 210 member associations.[1]

The

table tennis official rules are specified in the ITFF handbook.[2]

Since 1988, table tennis has

been an Olympic sport,[3]

with several event categories. In particular, from 1988 until 2004,



these were: men's singles, women's singles, men's doubles and women's doubles. Since 2008the doubles have been replaced by the team events.

Contents

[hide]

y 1 History

y 2 Equipment o 2.1 Ball

o 2.2 Table o 2.3 Racket

y 3 Game play

o 3.1 Starting a game

o 3.2 Service and return

o 3.3 Let

o 3.4 Scoring

o 3.5 Alternation of services and ends o 3.6 Doubles game

o 3.7 Expedite system

y 4 Styles of play

o 4.1 Grip

o 4.2 Types of shots

4.2.1 Offensive strokes

4.2.2 Defensive strokes y 5 Effects of spin

o 5.1 Backspin o 5.2 Topspin

o 5.3 Sidespin o 5.4 Corkspin

y 6 Competition

y 7 Notable players

y 8 Governance

y 9 See also y 10 References

y 11 Bibliography y 12 External links

History

The game originated as a sport in Britain during the 1800s, where it was played among the

upper-class as an after dinner entertainment activity,[4]

commonly known then as "wiff-waff" .

A row of books were to be stood up along the center of the table as a net, two more booksserved as rackets and were used to continuously hit a golf-ball from one end of the table to

the other. Later, table tennis was played with paddles made of cigar box lids and balls madeof champagne corks. Eventually, table tennis evolved into the modern game in Europe and

the United States. The popularity of the game led game manufacturers to sell the equipmentcommercially. Early rackets were often pieces of parchment stretched upon a frame, and the



sound generated in play gave the game its first nicknames of "wiff-waff" and "Ping-pong" . Anumber of sources indicate that the game was first brought to the attention of Hamley's of

Regent Street under the name "Gossima".[5]

The name "ping-pong" was in wide use beforeBritish manufacturer J. Jaques & Son Ltd trademarked it in 1901. The name "Ping-Pong"

then came to be used for the game played by the rather expensive Jaquesses equipment, with

other manufacturers calling theirs table tennis. A similar situation arose in the United States,

where Jaques sold the rights to the "Ping-Pong" name to Parker Brothers.

The next major innovation was by James Gibb, a British enthusiast of table tennis, who

discovered novelty celluloid balls on a trip to the US in 1901 and found them to be ideal for

the game. This was followed by E. C. Goode who in 1901 invented the modern version of the

racket by fixing a sheet of pimpled, or stippled, rubber to the wooden blade. Table tennis was

growing in popularity by 1901 when table tennis tournaments were being organized, books

on table tennis were being written, and an unofficial world championship was held in 1902.

During the early 20th century the game was banned in Russia due to a belief that was held by

the rulers at the time that playing the game had an adverse effect on players' eyesight. In

1921, the Table Tennis Association was founded in Britain, and the International TableTennis Federation followed in 1926.

[6]London hosted the first official World Championships

in 1926. Table tennis was introduced as an Olympic sport at the Olympics in 1988.[7]

In the 1950s rackets that used a rubber sheet combined with an underlying sponge layer changed the game dramatically,

[8]introducing greater spin and speed.

[9]These were

introduced to Britain by the sports goods manufacturers S.W. Hancock Ltd. The use of speedglue increased the spin and speed even further, resulting in changes to the equipment to "slow

the game down".

Toward the end of 2000, the International Table Tennis Federation instituted several rules

changes aimed at making table tennis more viable as a televised spectator sport.[10]

First, the

older 38 mm balls were officially replaced by 40 mm balls.[11]

This increased the ball's air

resistance and effectively slowed down the game. By that time, players had begun increasingthe thickness of the fast sponge layer on their rackets, which made the game excessively fast,

and difficult to watch on television. Secondly, the ITTF changed from a 21-point to an 11- point scoring system. This was intended to make games more fast-paced and exciting. The

ITTF also changed the rules on service to prevent a player from hiding the ball duringservice, in order to increase the average length of rallies and to reduce the server's advantage.

Variants of the sport have recently emerged. "Large-ball" table tennis uses a 44 mm ball

which slows down the game significantly. This has seen some acceptance by players who

have a hard time with the extreme spins and speeds of the 40 mm game.

There is a move towards reviving the table tennis game that existed prior to the introduction

of sponge rubber. Classic table tennis like Liha or " hardbat" table tennis players reject thespeed and spin of reversed sponge rubber, preferring the 1940±60s play style, with no-sponge, short-pimpled rubber equipment, when defense is less difficult by decreasing the

speed and eliminating any meaningful magnus effect of spin. Because hardbat killer shots arealmost impossible to hit against a skilled player, hardbat matches focus on the strategic side

of table tennis, requiring skillful maneuvering of the opponent before an attack can besuccessful.



E i

B ll

The i ternati nal rules speci that the game is played with a light 2.7gram, 40 mm diameter

ball.

[12]

The rules say that the ball shall bounce up 24-26 cm when dropped from a height of 30.5 cm on to a standard steel block thereby having acoeff icient of restitution of 0.89 to 0.92.

The 40 mm ball was introduced af ter the 2000 Olympic Games.[11]

However, this created

some controversy as the Chinese National Team argued that this was merely to give non-Chinese players a better chance of winning since the new type of balls has a slower speed,

while at that time most Chinese players were playing with fast attack and smashes. A 40 mmtable tennis ball is slower and spins less than a 38 mm one. The ball is made of a high-

bouncing air-f illed celluloid or similar plastics mater ial, colored white or orange, with a matte f inish. The choice of ball color is made according to the table color and its surroundings. For

example, a white ball is easier to see on a green or blue table than it is on a gray table. Starson the ball indicate the quality of the ball. Three stars indicate that it is of the highest quality,

and is used in off icial competition.

T l

Diagram of a table tennis table showing the unoff icial dimensions

The table is 2.74 m (9 f t long, 1.525 m (5 f t wide, and 76 cm (30 inch) high with a Masonite

(a type of hardboard) or similar ly manufactured timber, layered with a smooth, low-fr iction

coating.[13]

The table or playing surface is divided into two halves by a 15.25cm (6 inch)

high net. An ITTF approved table surface must be in a green or blue color.

R

Main ar ticle: Table tennis racket

Players are equi pped with a laminated wooden racket covered with rubber on one or two

sides depending on the gr i p of the player. In the USA the term " paddle" is common, inEurope[where?] the term is " bat," and the off icial ITTF term is "racket".



Wang Liqin; the 2001, 2005 and 2007 Wor ld Champion

In game play, the player serving the ball commences a play.[17] The server f irst stands with

the ball held on the open palm of the hand not carrying the racket, called the freehand, andtosses the ball directly upward without spin, at least 16 centimeters (approximately 6inches)

high. The server str ikes the ball with the racket on the ball s descent so that it touches f irst hiscour t and then touches directly the receiver's cour t without touching the net assembly. In

casual games, many players do not toss the ball upward; however, this is technically illegal and can give the serving player an unfair advantage.

The ball must remain behind the endline and above the upper surface, known as the playing

surface, of the table at all times dur ing the service. The server cannot use his body or clothingto obstruct sight of the ball; the opponent and the umpire must have a clear view of the ball at

all times. If the umpire is doubtful of the legality of a service they may f irst interrupt play and

give a warning to the server. If the serve is a clear failure or is doubted again by the umpire

af ter the warning, receiver scores a point.

If the service is "good", then the receiver must make a "good" return by hitting the ball back before it bounces a second time on receiver's side of the table so that the ball passes the net and touches the opponent's cour t, either directly or af ter touching the net assembly. And

thereaf ter server and receiver alternately make a return until a rally is over. R eturning theserve is one of the most diff icult par ts of the game, as the server's f irst move is of ten the least

predictable and thus most advantageous shot due to the numerous spin and speed choices at his or her disposal.

Let

A let is a rally of which the result is not scored, and is called in the following

circumstances:

[17]

y The ball touches the net in service, provided the service is otherwise correct or the ball is obstructed by the player on the receiving side. Obstruction means a player

touches the ball when it is above or travelling towards the playing surface, not havingtouched the player's cour t since last being struck by him.

y When the player on the receiving side is not ready and the service is delivered.y Player's failure to make a service or a return or to comply with the Laws is due to a

disturbance outside the control of the player.y Play is interrupted by the umpire or assistant umpire.

Scori

A point is scored by the player for any of several results of the rally:[17]

y Opponent fails to make a correct service or return.y Af ter mak ing a service or a return, the ball touches anything other than the net

assembly before being struck by the opponent.y The ball passes over the player's cour t or beyond his end line without touching his

cour t, af ter being struck by the opponent.

y The opponent obstructs the ball.



y The opponent str ikes the ball twice successively. Note that the hand that is holding theracket counts as par t of the racket and that mak ing a good return off one's hand or

f ingers is allowed. As of 1 September 2010, it is not a fault if the ball accidentally hitsone's hand or f ingers and then subsequently hits the racket.

y The opponent str ikes the ball with a side of the racket blade whose surface is not covered with rubber.

y The opponent moves the playing surface or touches the net assembly.y The opponent's free hand touches the playing surface.

y As a receiver under the expedite system, completing 13 returns in a rally.y The opponent has been warned by umpire commits a second offence in the same

individual match or team match. If the third offence happens, 2 points will be given to

the player.[19]

If the individual match or the team match has not ended, any unused

penalty points can be transferred to the next game of that match.[18]

A game shall be won by the player f irst scor ing 11 points unless both players score 10 points,

when the game shall be won by the f irst player subsequently gaining a lead of 2 points. A

match shall consist of the best of any odd number of games. In competition play, matches are

typically best of f ive or seven games.

Alternation of services and ends

Service alternates between opponents every two points (regardless of winner of the rally)

until the end of the game, unless both players score 10 points or the expedite system isoperated, when the sequences of serving and receiving stay the same but each player serves

for only 1 point in turn.[17]

Player serving f irst in a game shall receive f irst in the next game of the match.

In the 21-point game system, service would alternate every 5 points.[10] If both players

reached a score of 20, then service would alternate each point until one player gains a two-

point advantage.

Af ter each game, players switch sides of the table. In the last possi ble game of a match, for example the seventh game in a best of seven match, players change ends when the f irst player

scores 5 points, regardless of whose turn it is to serve. If the sequence of serving andreceiving is out of turn or the ends is not changed, points scored in the wrong situation are

still calculated. The order of service and the ends which players shouldbe at is decided by thescore that has been reached.

Doubles game

Service zone in doubles game



In addition to games between individual players, pairs may also play table tennis. In doubles,all the rules of single play apply except for the following. [17]

1. A line painted along the long axis of the table to create doubles courts bisects the

table. This line's only purpose is to facilitate the doubles service rule, which is that

service, must originate from the right hand "box" in such a way that the first bounce

of the serve bounces once in said right hand box and then must bounce at least once inthe opponent side's right hand box (far left box for server), or the receiving pair score

a point.

2. Players must alternate hitting the ball. For example, if A is paired with B, X is paired

with Y, A is the server and X is the receiver. The order of play shall be A X B

Y. The rally proceeds this way until one side fails to make a legal return and the

other side scores.

3. At each change of service, the previous receiver shall become the server and the

partner of the previous server shall become the receiver. For example, if the previous

order of play is A X B Y, the order becomes X B Y A after the

change of service.4. In each game of a doubles match, the pair having the right to serve first shall choose

which of them will do so. The receiving pair, however, can only choose in the firstgame of the match. When the first server is chosen in the second or the latter games of

the match, the first receiver of the game is the player who served to the first server of the game in the preceding game. For example, if the order of play is A X B

Y in the first game, the order begins with X A Y B or Y B X A inthe second game depending on either X or Y being chosen as the first server of the

game.

5. When a pair reach 5 points in the final game, the pairs must switch ends of the table

and the team that receives the service must switch receiver. For example, when the

last order of play before a pair score 5 points in the final game is A X B Y,

the order after change shall be A Y B X if A still has the second serve.

Otherwise, X is the next server and the order becomes X A Y B.

Singles and doubles are both played in international competition, including the Olympic

Games since 1988 and the Commonwealth Games since 2002.[20] In 2005, the ITTF

announced that doubles table tennis only was featured as a part of team events in the 2008

Olympics.

Expedite system

If a game is unfinished after 10 minutes' play and at least a player or a pair do not score 9

points, the expedite system comes into effect.[17]

The umpire first interrupt the game and each player starts to serve for 1 point in turn until the end of the game. The server has to win the

point before the 13th return by the opponent, or the point goes to the opponent. The systemcan also be operated at any time at the request of both players or pairs. Once introduced, the

expedite system remains in operation until the end of the match. It's the rule to shorten thetime of a match, and is mainly seen in defensive players' games.

Styles of play

Main article: Table tennis styles



Grip

Competitive table tennis players grip their rackets in a variety of ways. The manner in which

competitive players grip their rackets can be classified into two major families of styles. One

is described as p n¡

old , and the other s¡

ak ¡

and . The Laws of Table Tennis do not prescribe

the manner in which one must grip the racket, and numerous variations on gripping styles

exist in excess of these two general categories.

PenholdThe penhold grip is so-named because one grips the racket similarly to the way one

holds a writing instrument. The style of play among penhold players can vary greatlyfrom player to player. The most popular style, usually referred to as the Chinese

penhold style, involves curling the middle, ring, and fourth finger on the back of the blade. The amount of curl in the fingers can vary from clenched, to almost perfectly

straight. The three fingers however, will always remain touching one another. Chinese

penholders favour a round racket head, for a more over-the-table style of play. In

contrast, another style, sometimes referred to as the Korean or Japanese penhold grip,

involves splaying those three fingers out across the back of the racket, usually with all

three fingers touching the back of the racket, rather than stacked upon one another.

Sometimes a combination of the two styles occurs, wherein the middle, ring and

fourth fingers are straight, but still stacked, or where all fingers may be touching the

back of the racket, but are also in contact with one another. Korean/Japanese

penholders will often use a square-headed racket for an away-from-the-table style of

play. Traditionally these square-headed rackets feature a block of cork on top of the

handle, as well as a thin layer of cork on the back of the racket, for increased grip and

comfort. Penhold styles are popular among players originating from East Asian

regions such as China, Taiwan, Japan, and South Korea.Traditionally, penhold players use only one side of the racket to hit the ball during

normal play, and the side which is in contact with the last three fingers is generally

not used. This configuration is sometimes referred to as "traditional penhold" and ismore commonly found in square-headed racket styles. However, the Chinese developed a technique in the 1990s in which a penholder utilizes both sides of the

racket to hit the ball. This backhand adjunct is referred to as the R v ¢ s p n¡

old back

¡

and (RPB) where the player produces a stroke (most often topspin) by turning

the traditional side of the racket to face him or herself, and swinging, with a backhand

motion, using the opposite side of the racket. This stroke has greatly improved and

strengthened the penhold style both physically and psychologically, as it eliminates

the strategical weakness of the traditional penhold backhand.

Shakehand

The shakehand grip is so-named because one grips the racket similarly to the way one

performs a handshake.[8]

The grip is sometimes referred to as the "tennis grip" or the

"Western grip," although it has no correlation to the Western grip used in Tennis. The

shakehand grip is traditionally popular among players originating in Western nations

and South Asian nations. Today, however, the shakehand grip is being encouraged

over the penhold grip even in some East Asian table tennis establishments, due to its



simplicity and versatility compared to the penhold grip. In fact there are many worldclass Asian players who currently use the shakehand grip.[citation n

£ £ d

£ d ] This is primarily

due to the increasingly fast nature of the game, making the backhand stroke more prevalent, a stroke which is difficult to execute consistently at a high standard when

using the penhold grip.

Types of shots

The strokes break down into generally offensive and defensive. The types of strokes include backhand and forehand. The shots vary from the forehand loop to the backhand smash.

Offensive strokes

Speed drive

These strokes differ from speed drives in other racket sports like tennis because the

racket is primarily p¤ ¥ p¤ ndicula¥ to the direction of the stroke and most of the energy

applied to the ball results in sp¤ ¤ d rather than spin, creating a shot that does not arc

much, but is fast enough that it can be difficult to return. A speed drive is used mostlyfor keeping the ball in play, applying pressure on the opponent, and potentially

opening up an opportunity for a more powerful attack.Loop drive

The loop drive is essentially the reverse of the speed drive. The racket is much more pa¥ all ¤ l to the direction of the stroke ("closed") and the racket thus g ¥ az¤ s the ball,

resulting in a large amount of topspin. A good loop drive will arc quite a bit, and oncestriking the opponent's side of the table will jump forward, much like a kick serve in

tennis. A loop drive might not be as difficult to return as a speed drive ; however, because of its topspin, it is more likely to rebound off the opponent's racket at a very

high angle, setting up an easy smash on the follow-up. As the loop drive requires a lot

of topspin, players generally use their entire body to generate the movement required.

Variations in spin and speed add to the effectiveness of this shot.Chinese players categorize loop-drives into three variations based on trajectories:

1. The "Loop"

The "Loop" produces a more pronounced loopy arc, with a higher trajectory and

extreme topspin, but is typically slower.

2. The "Loop Kill" ("Rush" in China)

The "Loop Kill" produces a flatter arc, with higher speed that resembles a speed drive

but with stronger topspin, typically used for replacing speed drive or smash in "put-

away" situations.3. The "Hook"

Similar to a regular Loop, but carries a tilted topspin, also known as a "top-side" spin.The Hook bounces sideways and downward upon hitting the table. Similar to but

stronger than the defensive "side-drive".Counter-drive

The counter-drive is usually a counterattack against drives, normally high loop drives.The racket is held closed and near to the ball, which is hit with a short movement "off

the bounce" (immediately after hitting the table) so that the ball travels faster to theother side. A well-timed, accurate counter-drive can be as effective as a smash.

Flip (or Flick in Europe)

When a player tries to attack a ball that has not bounced beyond the edge of the table,

the player does not have the room to wind up in a backswing . The ball may still b¤



attack ¦ d , however, and the resulting shot is called flip because the backswing iscompressed into a quick wrist action. A flip is not a single stroke and can resemble

either a drive or a loop in its characteristics. What identifies the stroke is insteadwhether the backswing is compressed into a short wrist flick.

Smash

The offensive trump card in table tennis is the smash. A player will typically execute

a smash when his or her opponent has returned a ball that bounces too high or tooclose to the net. Smas

§

ing is essentially self-explanatory²large backswing and rapid

acceleration imparting as much speed on the ball as possible. The goal of a smash is

to get the ball to move so quickly that the opponent simply cannot return it. Because

the ball speed is the main aim of this shot, often the spin on the ball is something

other than topspin. Sidespin can be used effectively with a smash to alter the ball's

trajectory significantly, although most intermediate players will smash the ball with

little or no spin. An offensive table tennis player will think of a rally as a build-up to a

winning smash; only a calculated series of smashes can guarantee a point against a

good opponent. However, most players will be able to return at most one or two

smashes consistently. Provided that the opponent is not too close to the table or too far away from the ball, a smash can be lobbed, chopped, blocked or even counter-looped,

albeit with some difficulty. A player who smashes generally works out a series of smashes (and possibly drop-shots) to rush the opponent out of position, put him off

balance, or both. Smashers who fail to do this find it difficult to win a point against anexcellent defense.

Defensive strokes

Push (or Slice in Asia)

The push is usually used for keeping the point alive and creating offensive

opportunities. A push resembles a tennis slice: the racket cuts underneath the ball,

imparting backspin and causing the ball to float slowly to the other side of the table.

While not obvious, a push can be difficult to attack because the backspin on the ball

causes it to drop toward the table upon striking the opponent's racket. In order to

attack a push, a player must usually loop the ball back over the net. Often, the best

option for beginners is to simply push the ball back again, resulting in pushing rallies.

Against good players, it may be the worst option because the opponent will counter

with a loop, putting the first player in a defensive position. Another response to

pushing is flipping the ball when it is close to the net. Pushing can have advantages in

some circumstances, such as when the opponent makes easy mistakes.

Chop

A c ̈

op or cut is the defensive, backspin counterpart to the offensive loop drive. A

chop is essentially a bigger, heavier slice, taken well back from the table. The racket

face points primarily horizontally, perhaps a little bit upward, and the direction of the

stroke is straight down. The object of a defensive chop is to match the topspin of theopponent's shot with backspin. A good chop will float nearly horizontally back to the

table, in some cases having so much backspin that the ball actually © is s. Such a chop

can be xt © m ly difficult to return due to its enormous amount of backspin.

Sometimes a defensive player can impart no spin on the ball during a chop, or add

right- or left-hand spin to the ball. This may further confuse the opponent. Chops are

difficult to execute, but are devastating when completed properly because it takes atremendous amount of topspin on a loop drive to return the ball back over the net.

Block



The block or s

o t is a simple shot, but nonetheless can be devastating against anattacking opponent. A block is executed by simply placing the racket in front of the

ball right after the ball bounces; thus, the ball rebounds back toward the opponentwith nearly as much energy as it came in with. This is not as easy as it sounds,

because the ball's spin, speed, and location all influence the correct angle of a block. It

is very possible for an opponent to execute a perfect loop, drive, or smash, only to

have the blocked shot come back at him just as fast. Due to the power involved inoffensive strokes, often an opponent simply cannot recover quickly enough, and will

be unable to return the blocked shot. Blocks almost always produce the same spin as

was received, usually topspin.

Push-Block

High level players may use what is called pus

-block or an activ block , adding speed

to the ball with a small topspin movement. When playing in the penhold grip, many

players use push-blocks when being pressured on the backhand. Chinese penhold

players refer to it as a pus

-block because they literally "push" their backhand

forward, instead of simply blocking it.

Side DriveThis spin shot is alternately used as a defensive and offensive maneuver. The premise

of this move is to put a spin on the ball either to the

ig

t or the l

ft of the racket. Theexecution of this move is similar to a slice, but to the right or left instead of down.

This spin will result in the ball curving to the side but bouncing in the oppositedirection when the opponent returns it. Do not attempt a right-side spin (moving your

arm to the right when hitting the ball) when too close to the left side of the table, andvice versa. To return, simply execute the same sided spin as your opponent just gave

you.

Lob

The defensive Hig

Ball or Lob is possibly the most impressive shot in the sport of

table tennis, and it is deceptive in its simplicity. To execute a Hig

Ball , a defensive

player first backs off the table 4±6 meters; then, the stroke itself consists of simply

lifting the ball to an enormous height before it falls back to the opponent's side of the

table. A Hig

Ball is inherently a creative shot, and can have nearly any kind of spin.

Top quality players use this to their advantage in order to control the spin of the ball.

For instance, though the opponent may smas

the ball hard and fast, a good defensive

Lob could be more difficult to return due to the unpredictability and heavy amounts of

the spin on the ball. Thus, though backed off the table by tens of feet and running to

reach the ball, a good defensive player can still win the point using good Hig

Balls.

However, most of the time the lobber will lose the point, so the Lob is notrecommended unless it is really necessary.

Drop ShotThe d op s

ot is a high level stroke, used as another variation for close-to-table

strokes (like

a ai and slic ). You have to position the racket close to the ball and just

let the ball touch it (without any hand movement) in a way that the ball stays close tothe net with almost no speed and spin and touches the other side of the table morethan twice if the opponent does not reach it. This stroke should be used when

opponents are far from the table and not prepared to get close to the table. This

technique is most usually done by pen-holders and players who use long or short

pimples. A very deceiving technique, this could result in the opponent failing to reach

the ball after misjudging the distanc of the ball. A perfectly executed stroke after a

topspin s qu nc can win a point.



Effects of spin

Adding spin onto the ball causes a whole range of major and minor changes:

4 phases in a backspin curve

Backspin

The easy-to-learn backspin stroke adds subtle lift to the first part of the trajectory, it lets the ball drop more suddenly, makes the ball bounce more upright and most significantly: it

makes the ball dive downwards when the opponent uses a common rubber (smooth, pimplesinwards) to make a return. The opponent is forced to seriously compensate for the backspin

by adjusting the contact angle of his or her racket. In many racket sports, this is commonlyreferred to as "opening the racket".[8] Due to the initial lift of the ball, there is a limit on how

much speed with which one can hit the ball without missing the opponents side of the table.

Backspin also makes it harder for the opponent to hit the ball with lots of speed, due to the

required angular precision of the return. In table-tennis backspin is regarded as a defensive

alternative due to the limitation on ball speed, as well as the relative bio-mechanical

efficiency of producing such strokes. Although a player who relies on backspin puts them-

self in the position of response, rather than initiation, this does not impede them strategically.In fact, alterations are frequently made to the rules and regulations regarding equipment, in an

effort to maintain a balance between defensive and offensive spin choices. It is actually

possible to smash with backspin offensively, but only on high balls, which are close to the

net. Backspin is commonly employed in service because it is harder to produce an offensive

return when faced with a back-spun ball.

4 phases in a topspin curve

Topspin



The harder-to-learn topspin stroke has a smaller influence on the first part of the ball-curve.Like the backspin stroke, however, the axis of spin remains roughly perpendicular to the

trajectory of the ball thus allowing for the Magnus effect to dictate the subsequent curvature.After the apex of the curve, the ball clearly dips downwards as it approaches the opposing

side, before bouncing. On the bounce, the topspin will accelerate the ball, much in the same

way that a wheel which is already spinning would accelerate upon making contact with the

ground. Again, the most significant change appears when the opponent attempts to return the ball (with a smooth, pimples inwards rubber). Due to the topspin, the ball jumps upwards and

the opponent is forced to compensate for the topspin by adjusting the angle of his or her

racket. This is commonly known as "closing the racket". There is a significant decrease in the

speed limitations of the topspin stroke, aside from those limitations due to your own timing

and physical strength. This stroke is the predominant technique used in professional

competition because it gives the opponent less time to respond. In table tennis topspin is

regarded as an offensive technique due to increased ball speed, lower bio-mechanical

efficiency and the pressure that it puts on the opponent by reducing reaction time. (It is

possible to play defensive topspin-lobs from far behind the table, but only highly skilled

players use this stroke with any tactical efficiency.) Topspin is the least common type of spinto be found in service at the professional level, simply because it is much easier to attack a

top-spun ball that is not moving at high speed.

Sidespin

This type of spin is predominantly employed during service, wherein the contact angle of the

racket can be more easily varied. Unlike the two aforementioned techniques, sidespin causes

the ball to spin on an axis which is vertical, rather than horizontal. The axis of rotation is still

roughly perpendicular, to the trajectory of the ball. In this circumstance, the Magnus effect

will still dictate the curvature of the ball to some degree. Another difference is that unlike backspin and topspin, sidespin will have relatively very little effect on the bounce of the ball,

much in the same way that a spinning top would not travel left or right if its axis of rotation

were exactly vertical. This makes sidespin a useful weapon in service, because it is less easilyrecognized when bouncing, and the ball "loses" less spin on the bounce. Sidespin can also beemployed in offensive rally strokes, often from a greater distance, as an adjunct to topspin or

backspin. This stroke is sometimes referred to as a "hook". The hook can even be used insome extreme cases to circumvent the net when away from the table.

Corkspin

This type of spin is almost exclusively employed in service, but it is also used from time to

time in the lob at the professional level. Unlike any of the aforementioned techniques,corkspin (sometimes referred to as "drill-spin") features a unique situation in which the axis

of spin is more or less parallel to the trajectory of the ball. This means that the Magnus effect

will have little to no effect on the trajectory of a cork-spun ball. Upon bouncing, the ball willdart right or left, depending on the direction of the spin, making it very difficult to return.Although in theory this type of spin produces the most obnoxious effects, it is not as

strategically practical as sidespin or backspin in terms of the limitations that it imposes uponthe opponent during their return. Aside from the initial direction change when bouncing, a

cork-spun ball is easily countered with topspin o backspin, and similar to a backspin stroke,

the corkspin stroke has a lower maximum velocity, simply due to the contact angle of theracket when producing the stroke. In order to impart a spin on the ball which is parallel to its

trajectory, the racket must be swung more or less perpendicular to the trajectory of the ball.



This greatly limits the amount of forward momentum that can be transferred to the ball by theracket. Corkspin is almost always mixed with another var iety of spin, as it is less effective

and harder to produce on its own.

Competition

Competitive table tennis is popular in Asia and Europe and has been gaining attention in the

United States.[21] The most impor tant international competitions are theWor ld Table Tennis

Championshi ps, the Table Tennis Wor ld Cup, the Olympics and the ITTF Pro Tour .

Continental competitions include theEuropean Championshi ps, Europe Top-12, the AsianChampionshi ps and the Asian Games. Chinese players have won the men's Wor ld

Championshi ps 60% of the time since 1959;[22]

in the women's competition, Chinese playershave won all but three of the Wor ld Championshi ps since 1971.[23] Other strong teams come

from East Asian countr ies and European countr ies, including Austr ia, Belarus, Germany,Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Sweden, and Taiwan.[24]

There are also professional competitions at the clubs level. The national league of countr ies

like China (the China Table Tennis Super League), Germany, France, Belgium and Austr ia are some highest level examples. There are also some impor tant international club teams

competitions such as the European Champions Leagueand its former competition, theEuropean Club Cup, where the top club teams from European countr ies compete.

Notable players

Jan-Ove Waldner who holds a career grand slam of 4 ma jor titles (2 Wor ld Championshi ps, 1

Olympic Gold, 1 Wor ld Cup).For a more comprehensive list, see List of table tennis players

An international hall of fame exists at the ITTF Museum.[25] A Gr

l is earned by a

player who wins singles crowns at Olympic Games, Wor ld Championshi ps, and Wor ldCup.[26] Jan-Ove Waldner of Sweden f irst completed the grand slam at 1992 Olympic Games.

Deng Yaping of China is the f irst female recorded at the inaugural Women's Wor ld Cup in1996. The following are past grand slam winners:

Name (gender) Nationality Times won

Olympics World Championships World Cup



Jan-Ove Waldner (M)[27] Sweden 1 (1992) 2 (1989, 97) 1 (1990)

Deng Yaping (F)[28] China

2 (1992, 96) 3 (1991, 95, 97) 1 (1996)

Liu Guoliang (M)[29]

China 1 (1996) 1 (1999) 1 (1996)

Kong Linghui (M)[30]

China 1 (2000) 1 (1995) 1 (1995)

Wang Nan (F)[31]

China 1 (2000) 3 (1999, 2001, 03) 4 (1997, 98, 2003, 07)

Zhang Yining (F)[32] China 2 (2004, 08) 2 (2005, 09) 4 (2001, 02, 04, 05)

Governance

Main category: Table tennis organizations

The International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) is the worldwide governing body for table

tennis.[33]

On many continents, there is a governing body responsible for table tennis on that

continent. For example, the European Table Tennis Union (ETTU) is the governing body

responsible for table tennis in Europe.[34]

There are also national bodies and other local

authorities responsible for the sport, such as USA Table Tennis (USATT), which is the

national governing body for table tennis in the United States.[33]

See also

y European Table Tennis Union

y International Table Tennis Federation

y Table tennis terminology

y List of ITTF Pro Tour winners

R eferences

1. ^ "ITTF member associations". ITTF. http://www.ittf.com/ittf_structure/Assoc.asp.

Retrieved 27 August 2010.

2. ^ "ITTF Handbook 2009/2010". ITTF.http://www.ittf.com/ittf_handbook/ittf_hb.html. Retrieved 27 July 2010.

3. ^ Hurt III, Harry. "Ping-Pong as Mind Game (Although a Good Topspin Helps)". The N ew Yo k T ime s. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/05/business/05pursuits.html.

Retrieved 28 August 2010.4. ^ Letts, Greg. "A Brief History of Table Tennis/Ping-Pong". About.com. The New

York Times Company.http://tabletennis.about.com/od/beginnersguide/a/history_of_tt.htm. Retrieved 29

August 2010.

5. ^

"A Comprehensive History of Table Tennis". I TTF

Museum. ITTF.http://www.ittf.com/museum/history.html. Retrieved 29 August 2010.

6. ^ "International Table Tennis Federation Archives". I TTF Museum. ITTF.

http://www.ittf.com/museum/archives/index.html. Retrieved 29 August 2010.

7. ^ "Table Tennis in the Olympic Games". I TTF Museum. ITTF.

http://www.ittf.com/museum/Olympicgames.html. Retrieved 29 August 2010.

8. ^ a b c

Hodges, Larry (1993). T abl e Tennis: St e ps to Succe ss. Human Kinetics.

ISBN 0-87322-403-5.



9. ^ "Thick Sponge Bats 1950s". I TTF Museum. ITTF.http://www.ittf.com/museum/indextech2.html. Retrieved 29 August 2010.

10. ^ a b

Clemett, Colin. "Evolution of the Laws of Table Tennis and the Regulations for International Competitions" (PDF). I TTF Museum. ITTF.

http://www.ittf.com/museum/ColinEvolution.pdf . Retrieved 29 August 2010.

11. ^ a b "Board of Directors Passes Use of 40mm Ball". USA Table Tennis.

http://www.usatt.org/news/40mm_5-08-00.html. Retrieved 29 August 2010.12. ^ "ITTF Technical Leaflet T3: The Ball" (PDF). ITTF. December 2009. pp. 4.

http://www.ittf.com/stories/pictures/T3_40mmBall.pdf . Retrieved 28 July 2010.

13. ^ "ITTF Technical Leaflet T1: The Table" (PDF). ITTF.

http://www.ittf.com/equipment/T1_Table%202005.pdf . Retrieved 28 July 2010.

14. ^ a b "ITTF Handbook 2009/2010 2.04 The Racket". ITTF.

http://www.ittf.com/ittf_handbook/ittf_hb.html. Retrieved 29 August 2010.

15. ^ "ITTF Technical Leaflet T4: Racket Coverings" (PDF). ITTF. August 2010.

http://www.ittf.com/stories/pictures/T4_RacketCoverings2010.pdf . Retrieved 29

August 2010.

16. ^ "ITTF Handbook 2009/2010 3.04.02.03". ITTF.http://www.ittf.com/ittf_handbook/ittf_hb.html. Retrieved 29 August 2010.

17. ^ a b c d e f g "The Laws of Table Tennis" (PDF, 114 KB). I TTF Hand Book 2009-2010.ITTF. http://www.ittf.com/ittf_handbook/2009/2%20laws%20web%202009.pdf .

Retrieved 29 August 2010.18. ^ a b "ITTF Handbook for Match Officials 13th edition" (PDF). ITTF. August 2007.

http://www.ittf.com/ITTF_ Misc/Comittees/Handbook%20for_ Match_Officials_13th_ edition.pdf . Retrieved 1 September 2010.

19. ^ "ITTF Handbook 3.5.2 Misbehaviour". ITTF.

http://www.ittf.com/ittf_handbook/ittf_hb.html. Retrieved 1 September 2010.

20. ^ "ITTF statistics by event". ITTF. http://www.ittf.com/ittf_stats/stats_by_event.htm.

Retrieved 1 September 2010.

21. ^ Somaiya, Ravi (26 November 2007). "Back-and-Forth Sport Is Back Again". The

N ew Yo! k T ime s.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/27/fashion/27pingpong.html?_r=2&pagewanted=1

&partner=rss&emc=rss. Retrieved 27 August 2010.

22. ^ "World Championships Finalists - Men's Singles". ITTF.

http://www.ittf.com/ittf_stats/Search_By_Results1.asp?FormName=Search&FormAct

ion=search&s_EVENTS=WTTC&s_Evnt=S&s_Gender=Male&From=1926&To=.

Retrieved 28 July 2010.

23. ^ "World Championships Finalists - Women's Singles". ITTF.http://www.ittf.com/ittf_stats/Search_By_Results1.asp?FormName=Search&FormAct

ion=search&s_EVENTS=WTTC&s_Evnt=S&s_Gender=Female&From=1926&To=.Retrieved 28 July 2010.

24. ^ "ITTF Team Ranking". ITTF.

http://www.ittf.com/ittf_ranking/ittf_team_ranking.html. Retrieved 29 August 2010.25. ^ "ITTF Hall of Fame" (PDF). I TTF Museum. ITTF.http://www.ittf.com/museum/HoF/Hof.pdf . Retrieved 28 July 2010.

26. ^ Cao Jianjie (13 December 2003). "Liu Guoliang needs to prove he is good as

coach". ITTF.

http://www.ittf.com/_front_page/ittf_full_story2.asp?ID=5062&Category=. Retrieved

27 August 2010.

27. ^ "Jan-Ove Waldner's results of tournaments". ITTF.

http://www.ittf.com/ittf_stats/All_events3.asp?ID=7593. Retrieved 27 August 2010.



28. ^ "Deng Yaping's results of tournaments". ITTF.htt p://www.ittf.com/ittf_stats/All _events3.asp?ID=1610. R etr ieved 27 August 2010.

29. ^ "Liu Guoliang's results of tournaments". ITTF.htt p://www.ittf.com/ittf_stats/All _events3.asp?ID=4282. R etr ieved 27 August 2010.

30. ^ "Kong Linghui's results of tournaments". ITTF.htt p://www.ittf.com/ittf_stats/All _events3.asp?ID=3751. R etr ieved 27 August 2010.

31. ^ "Wang Nan's results of tournaments". ITTF.htt p://www.ittf.com/ittf_stats/All _events3.asp?ID=7639. R etr ieved 27 August 2010.

32. ^ " hang Yining's results of tournaments". ITTF.htt p://www.ittf.com/ittf_stats/All _events3.asp?ID=8057. R etr ieved 27 August 2010.

33. ^ a b "About USATT". USA Table Tennis.

htt p://www.usatt.org/organization/about _usatt.shtml. R etr ieved 28 August 2010.

34. ^ "ETTU - European Table Tennis Union". European Table Tennis Union.

htt p://www.ettu.org/level1.php?id=1. R etr ieved 28 August 2010.

Bibliography

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