Table tennis  

40 mm, 44 mm, and 54 mm celluloid Table Tennis balls
  • Table tennis is a sport in which two or four players hit a lightweight ball back and forth to each other with rackets.
  • The game takes place on a table divided by a net.
  • Players must allow a ball played towards them only one bounce on their side of the table and must return it so that it bounces on the opponent's side.
  • If the ball doesn't land on the opponent's side then it's a dead ball unless the other opponent hits the ball with their bat.
  • Play is fast and demands quick reactions
  • The game has its origins in England
  • Table tennis is very popular, especially in East Asia[1]
  • the most popular sports in the world in terms of player numbers
  • In singles play, the serve is not required to cross from the server's right-hand court to the receiver's right-hand court
  • serving across is required in doubles play
  • Ball spin, speed, placement, strategy and tactics play an important part in competitive table tennis matches
  • The speed of the ball can vary from slow serves with much spin to smashes that travel as fast as 112.5 kilometers per hour
  • The winner is the first to score 11 points, with each player alternating serves every two points.
  • At 10-10 (or deuce) the players alternate with every serve; the winner is then the first person to gain a clear two points advantage over his opponent.
  • All games played at national level and at international tournaments (ITTF) are played to 11 points in either a best of five (5) games (preliminaries) or best of seven (7) games format (championship matches).

 

  • Equipment :
    • The ball:
  • 40 mm, 44 mm, and 54 mm celluloid Table Tennis balls
  • . The ball is made of a high-bouncing gas-filled celluloidball, colored white or orange, with a matte finish. The choice of ball color is made according to the table color and its surroundings.
  • A star on the ball indicates the quality of the ball. 3 stars is the highest indicating that it is of the highest quality.
  • The table:

Diagram of a table tennis table showing the official dimensions

  • The game is played on a 274 cm × 152.5 cm × 76 cm high playing surface
  • The International Table Tennis Federation requires an area not less than 14 m long, 7 m wide and 5 m high for competitions.

 

  • The racket:
    • Players are equipped with a wooden blade covered with rubber on one or two sides depending on the grip of the player. This is called either a paddle, racket or bat
    • Table tennis regulations allow different surfaces on each side of the racket.
    • The player can choose from different types of rubber sheets which will provide a certain level of spin, speed and specific playing characteristics.
Game play :

Service :

  • Standing behind the end of the table
  • the ball in the palm of one hand - over the table's height – and the paddle in the other
  • the server tosses the ball without spin
  • upward, at least sixteen centimeters
  • He or she then must hit the ball such that it bounces once on his or her half of the table
  • then bounces at least one time on the opponent's half.
  • If the ball strikes the net but does not strike the opponent's half of the table, then a point is awarded to the opponent.
  • if the ball hits the net, but nevertheless goes over and bounces on the other side, it is called a let (or net-in).
  • Play stops, and the ball must be served again with no penalty.
  • If the service is "good", then the opponent must then make a "good" return — by returning the ball before it bounces on his or her side of the table a second time.
  • Returning the serve is one of the most difficult parts of the game, as the server's first move is often the least predictable.

Hitting the Ball :

  • Any hitting of the ball must be done such that the ball passes over or around the net.

Scoring : Points are awarded to the opponent for any of several errors in play:

  • Allowing the ball to bounce on one's own side twice
  • Double hitting the ball.
  • Allowing the ball to strike anything other than the bat
  • Causing the ball not to bounce on the opponent's half
  • Placing one's free hand on the playing surface or moving the playing surface
  • Offering and failing to make a good serve (i.e., making a service toss and failing to strike the ball fairly into play)
  • Making an illegal serve: (e.g., one preceded by a player's hiding the ball or his failing to toss the ball at least 16 centimeters (six inches) in the air).
  • Hitting the net with bat or any body part, or moving the table.

 

  
 
 
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