Table tennis

Table tennis, also known as ping-pong, is a sport in which two or four players hit a lightweight ball back
and forth across a table using small rackets. The game takes place on a hard table divided by a net.
Except for the initial serve, the rules are generally as follows: players must allow a ball played toward
them to bounce one time on their side of the table, and must return it so that it bounces on the
opposite side at least once. A point is scored when a player fails to return the ball within the rules. Play
is fast and demands quick reactions. Spinning the ball alters its trajectory and limits an opponent's
options, giving the hitter a great advantage.

Table tennis is governed by the worldwide organization International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF),
founded in 1926. ITTF currently includes 226 member associations.[3] The table tennis official rules are
specified in the ITTF handbook.[4] Table tennis has been an Olympic sport since 1988,[5] with several
event categories. From 1988 until 2004, these were men's singles, women's singles, men's doubles and
women's doubles. Since 2008, a team event has been played instead of the doubles.

Parker Brothers Ping-Pong game

The sport originated in Victorian England, where it was played among the upper-class as an after-dinner
parlour game.[1][2] It has been suggested that makeshift versions of the game were developed by
British military officers in India in around 1860s or 1870s, who brought it back with them.[6] A row of
books stood up along the center of the table as a net, two more books served as rackets and were used
to continuously hit a golf-ball.[7][8]

The name "ping-pong" was in wide use before British manufacturer J. Jaques & Son Ltd trademarked it
in 1901. The name "ping-pong" then came to describe the game played using the rather expensive
Jaques's equipment, with other manufacturers calling it table tennis. A similar situation arose in the
United States, where Jaques sold the rights to the "ping-pong" name to Parker Brothers. Parker Brothers
then enforced its trademark for the term in the 1920s making the various associations change their
names to "table tennis" instead of the more common, but trademarked, term.[9]

The next major innovation was by James W. 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 to the
extent that tournaments were being organized, books being written on the subject,[7] and an unofficial
world championship was held in 1902.

In 1921, the Table Tennis Association was founded, and in 1926 renamed the English Table Tennis
Association.[10] The International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) followed in 1926.[1][11] London
hosted the first official World Championships in 1926. In 1933, the United States Table Tennis
Association, now called USA Table Tennis, was formed.[1][12]

In the 1930s, Edgar Snow commented in Red Star Over China that the Communist forces in the Chinese
Civil War had a "passion for the English game of table tennis" which he found "bizarre".[13] On the other
hand, the popularity of the sport waned in 1930s Soviet Union, partly because of the promotion of team
and military sports, and partly because of a theory that the game had adverse health effects.[14]
In the 1950s, paddles that used a rubber sheet combined with an underlying sponge layer changed the
game dramatically,[1] introducing greater spin and speed.[15] These were introduced to Britain by
sports goods manufacturer S.W. Hancock Ltd. The use of speed glue increased the spin and speed even
further, resulting in changes to the equipment to "slow the game down". Table tennis was introduced as
an Olympic sport at the Olympics in 1988.[16]

Rule changes
Assortment of 40 mm table tennis balls

After the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, the ITTF instituted several rule changes that were aimed at making
table tennis more viable as a televised spectator sport.[17][18] First, the older 38 mm (1.50 in) balls
were officially replaced by 40 mm (1.57 in) balls in October 2000.[7][19] This increased the ball's air
resistance and effectively slowed down the game. By that time, players had begun increasing the
thickness of the fast sponge layer on their paddles, which made the game excessively fast and difficult to
watch on television. A few months later, the ITTF changed from a 21-point to an 11-point scoring system
(and the serve rotation was reduced from five points to two), effective in September 2001.[7] 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 during service, in order to increase the average length of rallies and
to reduce the server's advantage, effective in 2002.[20] For the opponent to have time to realize a serve
is taking place, the ball must be tossed a minimum of 16 centimetres (6.3 in) in the air. The ITTF states
that all events after July 2014 are played with a new poly material ball.[21] [22]

Equipment
Ball

Table Tennis Plastic Ball 40+ mm

The international rules specify that the game is played with a sphere having a mass of 2.7 grams (0.095
oz) and a diameter of 40 millimetres (1.57 in).[23] The rules say that the ball shall bounce up 24–26 cm
(9.4–10.2 in) when dropped from a height of 30.5 cm (12.0 in) onto a standard steel block thereby
having a coefficient of restitution of 0.89 to 0.92. Balls are now made of a polymer instead of celluloid as
of 2015, colored white or orange, with a matte finish. 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 grey table. Manufacturers often indicate the quality of the ball with a star rating system, usually
from one to three, three being the highest grade. As this system is not standard across manufacturers,
the only way a ball may be used in official competition is upon ITTF approval[23] (the ITTF approval can
be seen printed on the ball).
The 40 mm ball was introduced after the end of the 2000 Summer Olympics.[19] This created some
controversies. Then World No 1 table tennis professional Vladimir Samsonov threatened to pull out of
the World Cup, which was scheduled to debut the new regulation ball on October 12, 2000.[24]

Table

Diagram of a table tennis table showing the official dimensions

The table is 2.74 m (9.0 ft) long, 1.525 m (5.0 ft) wide, and 76 cm (2.5 ft) high with any continuous
material so long as the table yields a uniform bounce of about 23 cm (9.1 in) when a standard ball is
dropped onto it from a height of 30 cm (11.8 in), or about 77%.[25][26] The table or playing surface is
uniformly dark coloured and matte, divided into two halves by a net at 15.25 cm (6.0 in) in height. The
ITTF approves only wooden tables or their derivates. Concrete tables with a steel net or a solid concrete
partition are sometimes available in outside public spaces, such as parks.[27]

Racket/paddle

Main article: Table tennis racket

Players are equipped with a laminated wooden racket covered with rubber on one or two sides
depending on the grip of the player. The ITTF uses the term "racket",[28] though "bat" is common in
Britain, and "paddle" in the U.S. and Canada.

The wooden portion of the racket, often referred to as the "blade", commonly features anywhere
between one and seven plies of wood, though cork, glass fiber, carbon fiber, aluminum fiber, and Kevlar
are sometimes used. According to the ITTF regulations, at least 85% of the blade by thickness shall be of
natural wood.[29] Common wood types include balsa, limba, and cypress or "hinoki", which is popular in
Japan. The average size of the blade is about 17 centimetres (6.7 in) long and 15 centimetres (5.9 in)
wide, although the official restrictions only focus on the flatness and rigidity of the blade itself, these
dimensions are optimal for most play styles.

Table tennis regulations allow different surfaces on each side of the racket.[30] Various types of surfaces
provide various levels of spin or speed, and in some cases they nullify spin. For example, a player may
have a rubber that provides much spin on one side of their racket, and one that provides no spin on the
other. By flipping the racket in play, different types of returns are possible. To help a player distinguish
between the rubber used by his opposing player, international rules specify that one side must be red
while the other side must be black.[29] The player has the right to inspect their opponent's racket
before a match to see the type of rubber used and what colour it is. Despite high speed play and rapid
exchanges, a player can see clearly what side of the racket was used to hit the ball. Current rules state
that, unless damaged in play, the racket cannot be exchanged for another racket at any time during a
match.[31]

Gameplay

Competitive table tennis

Starting a game

According to ITTF rule 2.13.1, the first service is decided by lot,[32] normally a coin toss.[33] It is also
common for one player (or the umpire/scorer) to hide the ball in one or the other hand, usually hidden
under the table, allowing the other player to guess which hand the ball is in. The correct or incorrect
guess gives the "winner" the option to choose to serve, receive, or to choose which side of the table to
use. (A common but non-sanctioned method is for the players to play the ball back and forth three times
and then play out the point. This is commonly referred to as "serve to play", "rally to serve", "play for
serve", or "volley for serve".)

Service and return

Service by professional Russian player Alexander Shibaev

In game play, the player serving the ball commences a play.[34] The server first stands with the ball held
on the open palm of the hand not carrying the paddle, called the freehand, and tosses the ball directly
upward without spin, at least 16 cm (6.3 in) high.[35] The server strikes the ball with the racket on the
ball's descent so that it touches first his court and then touches directly the receiver's court 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 of the table, known as the playing
surface, at all times during the service. The server cannot use his/her body or clothing to 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 first interrupt play and give a warning to the server. If the
serve is a clear failure or is doubted again by the umpire after the warning, the 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 court, either directly or after touching the net assembly.[36] Thereafter, the server and
receiver must alternately make a return until the rally is over. Returning the serve is one of the most
difficult parts of the game, as the server's first move is often 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:[37]

The ball touches the net in service (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 traveling towards the playing surface, not having touched the player's court since last being
struck by the player.

When the player on the receiving side is not ready and the service is delivered.

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.

Play is interrupted by the umpire or assistant umpire.

A let is also called foul service, if the ball hits the server's side of the table, if the ball does not pass
further than the edge and if the ball hits the table edge and hits the net.

Scoring

Table tennis umpire

A point is scored by the player for any of several results of the rally:[38]

The opponent fails to make a correct service or return.

After making a service or a return, the ball touches anything other than the net assembly before being
struck by the opponent.

The ball passes over the player's court or beyond their end line without touching their court, after being
struck by the opponent.

The opponent obstructs the ball.

The opponent strikes the ball twice successively. Note that the hand that is holding the racket counts as
part of the racket and that making a good return off one's hand or fingers is allowed. It is not a fault if
the ball accidentally hits one's hand or fingers and then subsequently hits the racket.

The opponent strikes the ball with a side of the racket blade whose surface is not covered with rubber.
The opponent moves the playing surface or touches the net assembly.

The opponent's free hand touches the playing surface.

As a receiver under the expedite system, completing 13 returns in a rally.[39]

The opponent that has been warned by the umpire commits a second offense in the same individual
match or team match. If the third offence happens, 2 points will be given to the player.[40] 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.[33]

A game shall be won by the player first scoring 11 points unless both players score 10 points, when the
game shall be won by the first player subsequently gaining a lead of 2 points. A match shall consist of
the best of any odd number of games.[41] In competition play, matches are typically best of five 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 ten points or the expedite system is operated, when the
sequences of serving and receiving stay the same but each player serves for only one point in turn
(Deuce).[42] The player serving first in a game receives first in the next game of the match.

After each game, players switch sides of the table. In the last possible game of a match, for example the
seventh game in a best of seven matches, players change ends when the first player scores five points,
regardless of whose turn it is to serve. If the sequence of serving and receiving is out of turn or the ends
are not changed, points scored in the wrong situation are still calculated and the game shall be resumed
with the order at the score that has been reached.

Doubles game

Service zone in doubles game

In addition to games between individual players, pairs may also play table tennis. Singles and doubles
are both played in international competition, including the Olympic Games since 1988 and the
Commonwealth Games since 2002.[43] In 2005, the ITTF announced that doubles table tennis only was
featured as a part of team events in the 2008 Olympics.

In doubles, all the rules of single play are applied except for the following.
Service

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 in the opponent side's right hand box (far left box for server), or the receiving pair
score a point.[35]

Order of play, serving and receiving

Players must hit the ball in turn. 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.[44]

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.[42]

In the second or the latter games of a match, the game begins in reverse order of play. For example, if
the order of play is A→X→B→Y at beginning of the first game, the order begins with X→A→Y→B or
Y→B→X→A in the second game depending on either X or Y being chosen as the first server of the game.
That means the first receiver of the game is the player who served to the first server of the game in the
preceding game. 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 first game of the match.

When a pair reaches 5 points in the final game, the pairs must switch ends of the table and change the
receiver to reverse the order of play. 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.