Table tennis, also known as ping pong, is a
sport in
which two or four players hit a lightweight 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 bounces on the opposite side. Points are 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. When
doing so the hitter has a good chance of scoring if the spin is
successful.
Table tennis is governed by the worldwide organization
International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF), founded in 1926. ITTF
currently includes 218 member associations.[1]
The table tennis official rules are specified in the ITTF 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 2008 a team event has been played instead of the doubles.
History
Parker Brothers Ping-Pong game
The game originated in England during the 1880s, where it was played
among the upper-class as an after-dinner
parlour game.[4][5]
It has been suggested that the game was first developed by British
military officers in India or South Africa who brought it back with
them.[6]
A row of books were 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 from one end of the table to the other. Alternatively table
tennis was played with paddles made of cigar box lids and balls made of
champagne corks. The popularity of the game led game manufacturers to
sell equipment commercially. 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". A
number of sources indicate that the game was first brought to the
attention of
Hamley's
of Regent Street under the name "Gossima".[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 be used
for the game played by 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 their copyright on
the term in the 1920s making the various associations change their names
to "table tennis" instead of the more common, but copyrighted, 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. During the early
1900s, the game was banned in Russia because the rulers at the time
believed that playing the game had an adverse effect on players'
eyesight.[10]
In 1921, the Table Tennis Association was founded in Britain, and the
International Table Tennis Federation followed in 1926.[4][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.[4][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]
In the 1950s, rackets that used a rubber sheet combined with an
underlying sponge layer changed the game dramatically,[4]
introducing greater spin and speed.[14]
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.[15]
After the
2000 Summer Olympics in
Sydney,
the
International Table Tennis Federation instituted several rules
changes aimed at making table tennis more viable as a televised
spectator sport.[16]
First, the older 38 mm balls were officially replaced by 40 mm balls in
2000.[7][17]
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 rackets, which made the game excessively fast
and difficult to watch on television. Second, the ITTF changed from a
21-point to an 11-point scoring system in 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.
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. "Hardbat"
table tennis players reject the speed and spin of reversed sponge
rubber, preferring the 1940–60s play style with no sponge and
short-pimpled rubber. Defense is less difficult by decreasing the speed
and eliminating any meaningful
magnus effect of spin. Because hardbat killer shots are almost
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 become successful.
Equipment
Ball
The international rules specify that the game is played with a light
2.7 gram,
40 mm diameter ball.[18]
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 a
coefficient of restitution of 0.89 to 0.92. The 40 mm ball was
introduced after the 2000 Olympic Games.[17]
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 mm table tennis ball is slower and spins less than the original 38 mm
(1.5 inch) one. The ball is made of a high-bouncing air-filled
celluloid or similar plastics material, 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 gray table. Stars on the
ball indicate the quality of the ball. Three stars indicate that it is
of the highest quality, and is used in official competition[citation
needed].
Table
Diagram of a table tennis table showing the official
dimensions
The table is 2.74 m (9 ft) long, 1.525 m (5 ft) wide, and 76 cm
(30 inch) high with any continuous material so long as the table yields
a uniform bounce of about 23 cm when a standard ball is dropped on to it
from a height of 30 cm.[19][20]
The table or playing surface is uniformly dark coloured and matt,
divided into two halves by a 15.25 cm (6 inch) high net. The
ITTF approves only wooden tables or their derivates. Concrete tables
with a steel net are sometimes available in outside public spaces, such
as parks.[21]
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
official ITTF term is "racket", though "bat" is common in Britain, and
"paddle" in the U.S.
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.[22]
Common wood types include
balsa,
limba, and
cypress
or "hinoki,"
which is popular in Japan. The average size of the blade is about
6.5 inches (16.5 cm) long and 6 inches (15 cm) wide. Although the
official restrictions only focus on the flatness and rigidness of the
blade itself, these dimensions are optimal for most play styles.
Table tennis regulations allow different surfaces on each side of the
racket.[23]
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 his 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.[22]
The player has the right to inspect his opponent's racket before a match
to see the type of rubber used and what color 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.[24]
Gameplay
Starting a game
According to ITTF rule 2.13.1, the first service is decided by lot,[25]
normally a
coin toss.[26]
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" or "rally to serve"or "play for serve")
Service and return
In game play, the player serving the ball commences a play.[27]
The server first stands with the ball held on the open palm of the hand
not carrying the racket, called the freehand, and tosses the ball
directly upward without spin, at least 16 centimeters (approximately
6 inches) high.[28]
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 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.[29]
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:[30]
- 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 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.
Scoring
A point is scored by the player for any of several results of the
rally:[31]
- 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 his end line
without touching his 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.[32]
- 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.[33]
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.[26]
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.[34]
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 10 points or the expedite system is operated, when the sequences
of serving and receiving stay the same but each player serves for only 1
point in turn.[35]
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 5
points, regardless of whose turn it is to serve. If the sequence of
serving and receiving is out of turn or the ends is 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.[36]
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.[28]
Order of play, serving and receiving
- 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.[37]
- 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.[35]
- 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.
Expedite system
If a game is unfinished after 10 minutes' play and fewer than 18
points have been scored, the expedite system is initiated.[32]
The umpire interrupts the game, and the game resumes with players
serving for 1 point in turn. If the expedite system is introduced while
the ball is not in play, the previous receiver shall serve first. Under
the expedite system, the server must win the point before the opponent
makes 13 consecutive returns or the point goes to the opponent. The
system can also be initiated at any time at the request of both players
or pairs. Once introduced, the expedite system remains in force until
the end of the match. A rule to shorten the time of a match, it is
mainly seen in defensive players' games.
Grips
Though table tennis players grip their rackets in various ways, their
grips can be classified into two major families of styles, penhold
and shakehand.[38]
The rules of table tennis do not prescribe the manner in which one must
grip the racket, and numerous grips are employed.
Penhold
The penhold grip is so-named because one grips the racket similarly
to the way one holds a
writing instrument.[39]
The style of play among penhold players can vary greatly from 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 with the three fingers always touching one
another.[39]
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 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.[39]
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 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 is more commonly
found in square-headed racket styles. However, the
Chinese developed a technique in the 1990s in which a penholder uses
both sides of the racket to hit the ball, where the player produces a
backhand stroke (most often topspin) by turning the traditional side of
the racket to face one's self, and striking the ball with the opposite
side of the racket. This stroke has greatly improved and strengthened
the penhold style both physically and psychologically, as it eliminates
the strategic weakness of the traditional penhold backhand.
Shakehand grip (forehand)
|
Shakehand grip (backhand)
|
Shakehand
The shakehand (or shakehands) grip is so-named because the racket is
grasped as if one is performing a handshake.[40]
Though it is sometimes referred to as the "tennis" or "Western" grip, it
bears no relation to the Western
tennis grip, which was popularized on the
West Coast of the United States in which the racket is rotated 90°,
and played with the wrist turned so that on impact the knuckles face the
target. In table tennis, “Western” refers to
Western nations, for this is the grip that players native to Europe
and the Americas have almost exclusively employed.
The shakehand grip’s simplicity and versatility, coupled with the
acceptance among top-level Chinese trainers that the European style of
play should be emulated and trained against, has established it as a
common grip even in China.[41]
Many world-class Asian players currently use the shakehand grip, and it
is generally accepted that shakehands is easier to learn than penholder,
allowing a broader range of playing styles both offensive and defensive.[42]
Types of strokes
Table tennis strokes generally break down into offensive and
defensive categories.
Offensive strokes
Speed drive
A direct hit on the ball propelling it forward back to the opponent.
This stroke differs from speed drives in other racket sports like tennis
because the racket is primarily
perpendicular to the direction of the stroke and most of the
energy applied to the ball results in speed 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 mostly for keeping the
ball in play, applying pressure on the opponent, and potentially opening
up an opportunity for a more powerful attack.
Loop
Perfected during the 1960s,[4]
the loop is essentially the reverse of the speed drive. The racket is
much more
parallel to the direction of the stroke ("closed") and the
racket thus grazes the ball, resulting in a large amount of
topspin. A good loop drive will arc quite a bit, and once striking the
opponent's side of the table will jump forward, much like a kick serve
in tennis.
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 the other side. A
well-timed, accurate counter-drive can be as effective as a smash.
Flick
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 be attacked, however, and the
resulting shot is called a flick because the backswing is compressed
into a quick wrist action. A flick is not a single stroke and can
resemble either a drive or a loop in its characteristics. What
identifies the stroke is the backswing is compressed into a short wrist
flick.
Smash
The offensive trump card is the smash. A player will typically
execute a smash when his or her opponent has returned a ball that
bounces too high or too close to the net. Smashing is essentially
self-explanatory—large 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;
Defensive strokes
Push
The push (or "slice" in Asia) 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 chop is the defensive, backspin counterpart to the offensive loop
drive.[43]
A chop is essentially a bigger, heavier push, 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 the opponent'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 rises.
Such a chop can be extremely difficult to return due to its
enormous amount of backspin. Some defensive players can also impart
no-spin or sidespin variations of the chop.
Block
The block is a simple shot, but nonetheless can be devastating
against an attacking 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 opponent with 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 in offensive 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.
Lob
The defensive lob is possibly the most impressive shot, since it
propels the ball about five metres in height, only to land on the
opponent's side of the table with great amounts of spin.[44]
To execute, a defensive player first backs-off the table 4–6 meters;
then, the stroke itself consists of lifting the ball to an enormous
height before it falls back to the opponent's side of the table. A lob
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 smash 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.[44]
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
lobs. However, at the professional level, lobbers will lose the point
most of the time, so the lob is not used unless it is really necessary.[44]
Effects of spin
Adding spin onto the ball causes major changes in table tennis
gameplay. Although nearly every stroke or serve creates some kind of
spin, understanding the individual types of spin allows players to
defend against and use different spins effectively.[45]
4 phases in a backspin curve
Backspin
Backspin is where the bottom half of the ball is rotating away from
the player, and is imparted by striking the base of the ball with a
downward movement.[45]
At the professional level, backspin is usually used defensively in order
to keep the ball low.[46]
Backspin is commonly employed in service because it is harder to produce
an offensive return, especially on a short serve. 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 opponent's side of the table. However,
backspin also makes it harder for the opponent to return the ball with
great speed because of the required angular precision of the return.
Alterations are frequently made to regulations regarding equipment in an
effort to maintain a balance between defensive and offensive spin
choices.[citation
needed] It is actually possible to smash with
backspin offensively, but only on high balls that are close to the net.
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 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". The speed limitation of the topspin stroke is
minor compared to the backspin stroke. 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 spin to be
found in service at the professional level, simply because it is much
easier to attack a top-spin 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 easily recognized when bouncing,
and the ball "loses" less spin on the bounce. Sidespin can also be
employed 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 in some 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 will dart 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 upon the opponent during their
return. Aside from the initial direction change when bouncing, provided
that it does not exceed the reach of the opponent, a cork-spun ball is
easily countered with topspin or backspin. Similar to a backspin
stroke, the corkspin stroke has a lower maximum velocity, simply due to
the contact angle of the racket when producing the stroke. 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 the racket. Corkspin is almost always mixed with another
variety 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.[47]
The most important international competitions are the
World Table Tennis Championships, the
Table Tennis World Cup, the
Olympics and the
ITTF Pro Tour. Continental competitions include the
European Championships,
Europe Top-12, the
Asian Championships and the
Asian Games. Chinese players have won the men's World Championships
60% of the time since 1959;[48]
in the women's competition, Chinese players have won all but three of
the World Championships since 1971.[49]
Other strong teams come from
East
Asia and
European
countries, including
Austria,
Belarus,
Germany,
Hong
Kong,
Japan,
South Korea,
Singapore,
Sweden,
and Taiwan.[50]
There are also professional competitions at the clubs level. The
national league of countries like
China
(the
China Table Tennis Super League),
Germany,
France,
Belgium
and
Austria are some highest level examples. There are also some
important international club teams competitions such as the
European Champions League and its former competition, the
European Club Cup, where the top club teams from European countries
compete.
Notable players
An official
hall of fame exists at the ITTF Museum.[51]
A Grand Slam is earned by a player who wins singles crowns at
Olympic Games,
World Championships, and
World Cup.[52]
Jan-Ove Waldner of Sweden first completed the grand slam at 1992
Olympic Games.
Deng Yaping of China is the first female recorded at the inaugural
Women's World Cup in 1996.
Name |
Gender |
Nationality |
Times won |
|
Olympics |
World Championships |
World Cup |
Jan-Ove Waldner |
Male |
Sweden |
1 (1992) |
2 (1989,
1997) |
1 (1990) |
[53] |
Deng Yaping |
Female |
China |
2 (1992,
1996) |
3 (1991,
1995,
1997) |
1 (1996) |
[54] |
Liu Guoliang |
Male |
China |
1 (1996) |
1 (1999) |
1 (1996) |
[55] |
Kong Linghui |
Male |
China |
1 (2000) |
1 (1995) |
1 (1995) |
[56] |
Wang Nan |
Female |
China |
1 (2000) |
3 (1999,
2001,
2003) |
4 (1997, 1998, 2003, 2007) |
[57] |
Zhang Yining |
Female |
China |
2 (2004,
2008) |
2 (2005,
2009) |
4 (2001, 2002, 2004, 2005) |
[58] |
Zhang Jike |
Male |
China |
1 (2012) |
2 (2011,
2013) |
1 (2011) |
[59] |
Li Xiaoxia |
Female |
China |
1 (2012) |
1 (2013) |
1 (2008) |
[60] |
Jean-Philippe Gatien (France),
Wang Hao (China) and
Ding
Ning (China) won both the World Championships and the World Cup, but
lost in the gold medal matches at the Olympics.
Jörgen Persson (Sweden) also won the titles except the Olympic
Games, he is one of the three table tennis players to have
competed at seven Olympic Games.
Ma Lin (China) won both the Olympic gold and the World Cup, but lost
in the finals of the World Championships.
Governance
Founded in 1926, the
International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) is the worldwide
governing body for table tennis, which maintains an international
ranking system in addition to organizing events like the
World Table Tennis Championships.[12]
In 2007, the governance for
table tennis for persons with a disability was transferred from the
International Paralympic Committee to the ITTF.[61]
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.[62]
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.[12]
See also
References
-
^
"Member Associations". ITTF.
Retrieved 13 June 2013.
-
^
International Table Tennis Federation 2011, index 2
-
^
Hurt III, Harry (5 April 2008).
"Ping-Pong as Mind Game (Although a Good Topspin Helps)".
The New York Times.
Retrieved 28 August 2010.
- ^
a
b
c
d
e
Hodges 1993, p. 2
-
^
Letts, Greg.
"A Brief History of Table Tennis/Ping-Pong". About.com.
The New York Times Company.
Retrieved 29 August 2010.
-
^
WashingtonPost.com. Accessed August 2, 2012.
- ^
a
b
c
d
"A Comprehensive History of Table Tennis".
ITTF Museum. ITTF.
Retrieved 29 August 2010.
-
^
Hamilton, Fiona (2 September 2008).
"Inventors of ping-pong say Mayor Boris Johnson is wrong".
The Times. Retrieved 6
November 2010.
-
^
https://www.fredlaw.com/areas/trademark/Articles/trade_0808_drk3.html
-
^
[1]
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^
"International Table Tennis Federation Archives".
ITTF Museum. ITTF.
Retrieved 29 August 2010.
-
^
a
b
c
"About USATT". United States Olympic Committee.
Retrieved 6 November 2010.
-
^ Edgar Snow, Red
Star Over China, Grove Press, New York, 1938 (revised 1968),
p 281.
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^
"Thick Sponge Bats 1950s".
ITTF Museum. ITTF.
Retrieved 29 August 2010.
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^
"Table Tennis in the Olympic Games".
ITTF Museum. ITTF.
Retrieved 29 August 2010.
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^
Clemett, Colin.
"Evolution of the Laws of Table Tennis and the Regulations for
International Competitions" (PDF).
ITTF Museum. ITTF.
Retrieved 29 August 2010.
- ^
a
b
"Board of Directors Passes Use of 40mm Ball". USA Table
Tennis. Retrieved 29 August
2010.
-
^
"ITTF Technical Leaflet T3: The Ball" (PDF). ITTF. December
2009. p. 4. Retrieved 28 July
2010.
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^
International Table Tennis Federation 2011, index 2.1
-
^
"ITTF Technical Leaflet T1: The Table" (PDF). ITTF. May
2013.
-
^
Kaminer, Ariel (27 March 2011).
"The Joys of Ping-Pong in the Open". The New York Times.
- ^
a
b
International Table Tennis Federation 2011, index 2.4
-
^
"ITTF Technical Leaflet T4: Racket Coverings" (PDF). ITTF.
August 2010. Retrieved 29
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-
^
International Table Tennis Federation 2011, index 3.4.2.4
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^
International Table Tennis Federation 2011, index 2.13.1
-
^
a
b
"ITTF Handbook for Match Officials 13th edition" (PDF).
ITTF. August 2007. Retrieved
1 September 2010.
-
^
International Table Tennis Federation 2011, index 2.5
- ^
a
b
International Table Tennis Federation 2011, index 2.6
-
^
International Table Tennis Federation 2011, index 2.7
-
^
International Table Tennis Federation 2011, index 2.5.3 and
2.9
-
^
International Table Tennis Federation 2011, index 2.5.4 and
2.10
- ^
a
b
International Table Tennis Federation 2011, index 2.15
-
^
International Table Tennis Federation 2011, index 3.5.2
-
^
International Table Tennis Federation 2011, index 2.11 and
2.12
- ^
a
b
International Table Tennis Federation 2011, index 2.13 and
2.14
-
^
"ITTF statistics by event". ITTF.
Retrieved 1 September 2010.
-
^
International Table Tennis Federation 2011, index 2.8
-
^
McAfee, Richard (2009). Table
Tennis Steps to Success. Human Kinetics. p. 1.
ISBN 0-7360-7731-6.
- ^
a
b
c
Hodges 1993, p. 13
-
^
Hodges 1993, p. 10
-
^
Hodges; Yinghua. "The Secrets of
Chinese Table Tennis".
-
^
Hodges, Larry (1993). Table
Tennis: Steps to Success. Human Kinetics Publishers, Inc.
p. 10.
ISBN 0-87322-403-5.
-
^
Hodges 1993, p. 89
- ^
a
b
c
Hodges 1993, p. 96
- ^
a
b
Hodges 1993, p. 20
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^
Hodges 1993, p. 21
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^
Somaiya, Ravi (26 November 2007).
"Back-and-Forth Sport Is Back Again". The New York Times.
Retrieved 27 August 2010.
-
^
"World Championships Finalists - Men's Singles". ITTF.
Retrieved 28 July 2010.
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^
"World Championships Finalists - Women's Singles". ITTF.
Retrieved 28 July 2010.
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^
"ITTF Team Ranking". ITTF.
Retrieved 29 August 2010.
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^
"ITTF Hall of Fame" (PDF).
ITTF Museum. ITTF.
Retrieved 28 July 2010.
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^
Cao Jianjie (13 December 2003).
"Liu Guoliang needs to prove he is good as coach". ITTF.
Retrieved 27 August 2010.
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^
"Jan-Ove Waldner's results of tournaments". ITTF.
Retrieved 27 August 2010.
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^
"Deng Yaping's results of tournaments". ITTF.
Retrieved 27 August 2010.
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^
"Liu Guoliang's results of tournaments". ITTF.
Retrieved 27 August 2010.
-
^
"Kong Linghui's results of tournaments". ITTF.
Retrieved 27 August 2010.
-
^
"Wang Nan's results of tournaments". ITTF.
Retrieved 27 August 2010.
-
^
"Zhang Yining's results of tournaments". ITTF.
Retrieved 27 August 2010.
-
^
"Zhang Jike's results of tournaments". ITTF.
Retrieved 27 August 2010.
-
^
"Li Xiaoxia's results of tournaments". ITTF.
Retrieved 27 August 2010.
-
^
"The ITTF Classification Code" (PDF). ITTF.
Retrieved 6 September 2012.
-
^
"ETTU - European Table Tennis Union". European Table Tennis
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Bibliography
External links