Everything You Need to Know About Table Tennis(Ping Pong)

Table Tennis Rules, Scoring System, and Everything You Need to Know About Ping Pong

Table tennis was first included in the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul and has been a part of the Olympic Games since then. That's why here we have brought you all the necessary information including the official rules of table tennis.

A game where there is an amazing sight of speed and adventure. We are talking about Table Tennis, it is one of the most exciting games in the world of sports.it is top indoor games.

It was a game that was played by the nobles of England in the Victorian era, this game was called ping-pong in the early times. Which came to be known as Table Tennis in 1922. Earlier this game was dominated by European countries especially Hungary.these type of indoor games will be most known games in all over world.

However, by the 1950s, this game of table tennis had become very popular in the Asian sub-continent. It got a place at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, eight years after the first World Cup of table tennis in China.

We have brought for you all the rules of table tennis, equipment and how it is played.

Check Out Our Other Table Tennis (Ping Pong) Blogs:  

 Common Terminology in Table Tennis (Ping Pong)
 Top Indian Table Tennis Players
 Table Tennis (Ping Pong) Rules in the Olympics
 Best Table Tennis Academy in Jaipur
 Everything About World Table Tennis Day
 

Table Tennis Equipment

Table Tennis Table

According to the official rules of table tennis, the game is played on a 2.74 x 1.53-meter rectangular table tennis table made from fiber wood and divided into two halves.

The table is covered with dark and glossy paint, which gives it a matte finish. The table is bordered by a two-centimeter thick line, which marks the playing surface.

The table is divided into two halves by a net which is attached to the table using a pole. The height of the table tennis net is 15.25 cm.

Table Tennis Rackets - 

The bat, commonly referred to as a 'racket' or 'paddle'. Table Tennis racket is about 17 cm long and 15 cm wide, made primarily of wood. It has rubber surfaces on either side - black and red - that help players spin and give direction to the ball.

Table Tennis Ball - 

The ball, usually orange or white, weighs about 2.7 grams is the weight of table tennis ball and is spherical with a diameter of 40 millimeters as per rules and regulations.

Table Tennis Playing Area:

It is mandated by the ITTF that the playing space must be at least 14 metres long and 7 metres wide, and there must be at least 5 metres of clearance above it. There must be at least 8 m of length and 6 m of width for wheelchair events.

How to Play Table Tennis?

Rules of Serving and Serve in Table Tennis

• A table tennis match begins with a coin toss by the umpire. The winner has the right to serve the ball first, receive it, or choose which side of the table they wish to play.
• The server has to catch the ball with an open palm, toss it up, and hit it in such a way that the ball crosses the net to the other side, first hitting the table and then flying into the air.
• However, the receiver can return it by hitting it over the net and into the opponent's half of the table. If a player attempts to return the ball before it has bounced, it is called a foul.
• Whereas the service rule in singles competition allows the server at the opposite end to serve in any part of the table. But in doubles, the service has to be played diagonally across the table. Here, the serving player plays from the right side of the table.

How are Points Scored in Table Tennis?

The object of table tennis is to hit the ball with such speed that the opponent fails to make contact with the ball, giving the player a point.

However, if the ball hits the net and it fails to bounce over the halfway point of the table toward the opponent, or hits it over the net and boundary without making contact with the table, the opponent gets a point.

On the other hand in doubles, the rule becomes a bit more difficult. Here, the server and their partner have to alternate serves while attempting to push the ball to the opponent's side of the table. And in the same way, the answer to service is also given by both companions by changing them.

If you kick the ball out of the playing surface or the ball comes into contact with any part of your body during the shot, the opponent's score is increased by one point.

How to Become a Winner in Table Tennis?

According to the rules of table tennis, a player can win a game of table tennis by scoring 11 points - one point is awarded for each violation. Each player gets to serve twice in a row. Whoever gets the first 11 points is declared the winner.

If the points are tied at 10-10, a player has to take a two-point lead to win the game.

To win a match, games have to be won, the number of games is decided according to the match, and it depends on the competition and category.

While a singles match is usually a best of 7, in a doubles event the winner is decided by a best of 5.

Table Tennis Shots (Strokes): 

By changing the speed and angle, players can play different shots depending on their range and shots. It helps to improve their game.

What are the Different Types of Strokes or Shots in Used Table Tennis (Ping Pong):

The two basic types of table tennis strokes are offensive and defensive.

• Offensive Strokes in Table Tennis (Ping Pong): Hit, Loop, Counter-hit, and Flip
• Defensive Strokes in Table Tennis (Ping Pong): Push, Chop, Block, and Lob

Types of Spin Used in Table Tennis by the Players: 

The table tennis game is significantly altered by the addition of spin to the ball. Although almost every stroke or serve generates some sort of spin, knowing the various spin types enables players to successfully counteract and utilize various spins. Here are the most common spins used in Table Tennis - Backspin, Topspin, Sidespin, and Corkspin

Some popular shots of Table Tennis are like this:

Top-spin:

This is one of the commonly used attacking shots in the game. Here, the player glides on the underside of the paddle while keeping it at a 45-degree angle to hit the ball. The ball spins as it bounces, making it relatively difficult for the opponent to execute a timely return.

Block:

This is one of the earliest shots that a table tennis player is taught while being introduced to the game. On the square of the table, the player paddles with an open face, returning the ball using the paddle side facing the table.

Chop:

This is a defensive shot that many players try to use spin. While away from the table, here, players use the top half of the paddle, pushing it down at a 45-degree angle while making contact with the bottom half of the ball.

It can be played both with a forehand (with a straight bat) and a backhand (with an inverted bat).

Types of Grips in Table Tennis:

 Despite the variety of grips that table tennis players use, their grips may be broadly classified into two major types: penholds and shakehands. In table tennis, there are no specific rules regarding how one must grip the racket, so there are a variety of grips that can be used. 
Penhold Grips, Shakehand Grip (Forehand and Backhand), and Seemiller

Table Tennis in the Olympics:

Olympic Table Tennis was introduced in 1988 in the capital of South Korea. In 1962, London hosted the first Table Tennis World Championships.

Olympic Table Tennis Table Size:  A rectangular table measuring 2.74m X 1.53m is used for Olympic Table Tennis (ping pong).

Table Tennis Paddles or Racket: Table tennis paddles (or simply ping pong rackets) are about 17 cm long, 15 cm wide, and roughly 70 - 100 grams in weight.

Olympic Table Tennis Ball Size: In ping pong, there are two kinds of balls; 40mm and 38mm. All official games of table tennis, especially international tournaments or championships, use a 40 mm ball as their standard size. 40mm balls were introduced after the Summer Olympics of 2000: previously, 38mm balls were used. White or orange are the most common colors for the table tennis ball. In competitions, the pressure level of the ping pong ball can range between 0.30-0.58 atmospheres before it is inflated to its required 2.7-gram weight.

Table Tennis Events at the Olympics: Presently, there are five events in table tennis at the Olympics:

• Men's Singles
• Women's Singles
• Men's Doubles (Teams)
• Women's Doubles (Teams)
• Mixed Doubles 

In 2008, team events took the role of the doubles competitions, while mixed doubles were added for the Tokyo 2020 Games.

Check Out Our Other Table Tennis (Ping Pong) Blogs:  

 Common Terminology in Table Tennis (Ping Pong)
 Top Indian Table Tennis Players
 Table Tennis (Ping Pong) Rules in the Olympics
 Best Table Tennis Academy in Jaipur
 Everything About World Table Tennis Day