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Table tennis, who doesn't know it as a sport for camping? But of course there is MUCH more to this sport.
Table tennis is a sport in which two or four players play a hollow ball with a bat to hit back and forth across a table with a net in the middle, with the aim of hitting the ball on the opponent's half of the table in such a way that they cannot hit it back.
In this article I'll explain exactly what it is and how it works, plus what you can expect at a competition level.
As a competitive sport, table tennis places high physical and mental demands on the players, on the other hand, it is a relaxing pastime for millions of people around the world.
What we discuss in this comprehensive post:
How do you play table tennis?
table tennis (known in some countries as ping pong) is a sport that can be played by anyone regardless of age or ability.
It's a great way to be active and have fun, and can be practiced by people of all ages.
Table tennis is a game in which with a bat a ball is hit back and forth across a table.
The basic rules of the game are as follows:
- Two players face each other on a table tennis table
- Each player has two bats
- The object of the game is to hit the ball in such a way that the opponent cannot return it
- A player must hit the ball before it bounces twice on his side of the table
- If a player does not touch the ball, he loses a point
To start the game, each player stands on one side of the table tennis table.
The server (the player serving) stands behind the back line and sends the ball over the net to the opponent.
The opponent then hits the ball back over the net and play continues.
If the ball bounces twice on your side of the table, you may not hit the ball and you lose the point.
If you manage to hit the ball in such a way that your opponent can't return it, you score a point and the process is repeated.
The first player to score 11 points wins the game.
Read here my complete guide to the rules of table tennis (with also a number of rules that do not exist at all).
By the way, table tennis can be played in several ways:
- Singles: you play alone, against a single opponent.
- Doubles: women's doubles, men's doubles or mixed doubles.
- You play the game in a team and every point won from the above game form gives one point for the team.
You can also play table tennis around the table for extra excitement! (these are the rules)
Table tennis table, net and the ball
To play table tennis you need one table tennis table with net, bats and one or more balls.
The sizes of a table tennis table are standard 2,74 meters long, 1,52 meters wide and 76 cm high.
The net has a height of 15,25 cm and the color of the table is generally dark green or blue.
Only wooden tables are used for an official game, but you often see concrete ones on the campsite or in the playground.
The ball also meets strict requirements. It weighs 2,7 grams and has a diameter of 40 millimeters.
How the ball bounces is also important: do you drop it from 35 centimeters high? Then it should bounce up about 24 to 26 inches.
Furthermore, the balls are always white or orange, so that they are clearly visible during the game.
Table tennis bat
Did you know that there are more than 1600 different types of rubber for table tennis bats?
The rubbers cover one or both sides of the wooden bats. The wooden part is often referred to as the 'blade'.
The anatomy of a bat:
- Blade: this sometimes consists of 7 layers of laminated wood. Usually they are about 17 centimeters long and 15 centimeters wide.
- Handle: you can also choose from different types of handles for your bat. You can choose between straight, anatomical or flared.
- Rubbers: one or both sides of the paddle are covered with rubbers. These can be made of different materials, and will mainly depend on the type of game you want to play (a lot of speed or a lot of spin for example). Therefore, they are often divided into a soft or firm category. Soft rubber provides more grip on the ball and firm rubber is good for creating more speed.
That means that at a stroke of 170-180km/h a player has a visual reaction time of 0,22 seconds – wow!
FAQ
Who is the first table tennis player?
Englishman David Foster was the very first.
An English patent (number 11.037) was filed on July 15, 1890 when David Foster of England first introduced tennis on a table in 1890.
Who played table tennis first?
The sport originated in Victorian England, where it was played among the upper class as an after-dinner game.
It has been suggested that improvised versions of the game were developed around 1860 or 1870 by British military officers in India, who then brought the game back with them.
It is said that they played the game with books and a golf ball at the time. Once at home, the British refined the game and that's how the current table tennis was born.
It didn't take long for it to become popular, and in 1922 the International Table Tennis (ITTF) Federation was founded.
Which came first, tennis or table tennis?
Tennis is only slightly older, coming from England around 1850-1860.
Table tennis originated around 1880. It is now the most popular indoor sport in the world, with about 10 million players.
Olympic Sports
We have probably all played a game of table tennis at the campsite, but make no mistake! Table tennis is also a competitive sport.
In 1988 it became an official Olympic sport.
Who is the number 1 table tennis player in the world?
Fan Zhendong. Zhendong is currently the number one table tennis player in the world, according to the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF).
Who is the best table tennis player of all time?
Jan-Ove Waldner (born 3 October 1965) is a Swedish former table tennis player.
He is often referred to as “the Mozart of table tennis” and is considered one of the greatest table tennis players of all time.
Is table tennis the fastest sport?
Badminton is considered the world's fastest sport based on the speed of the shuttle, which can go over 200 mph (miles per hour).
Table tennis balls can reach 60-70 mph at most due to the light weight of the ball and air resistance, but have a higher frequency of hits in the rallies.
Conclusion
In short, table tennis is a fun and exciting sport that has been around for centuries.
It is practiced by people of all ages and can be played anywhere there is a table and a ball.
Whether you're a beginner or an experienced player, I recommend giving table tennis a try - you won't be disappointed!
Well, now the question: What is the most important rule in table tennis?
