* Table tennis was included in the * The International Table Tennis

Olympic Games for the first time in Federation (ITTF) was founded in
1988, in Seoul, South Korea. 1926 in Budapest, Hungary.

* “Ping-pong diplomacy” refers to * Table tennis was banned in the

the use of table tennis to improve Soviet Union during the 1950s, as it
relations between China and the was considered a “bourgeois”
United States in the 1970s, sport. It was only later in the 1950s
particularly after the U.S. table that the ban was lifted, and the
tennis team was invited to China in sport regained popularity in the
1971, which helped pave the way country.
for the normalization of diplomatic
* The first World Table Tennis
relations between the two
Championship was indeed held in
countries.
London in 1926.
* Table tennis was introduced as an
* Early table tennis paddles were
Olympic sport for the first time at
made of wood and covered with
the 1988 Summer Olympics in
parchment or rubber. The game
Seoul, South Korea.
originally used makeshift
* Table tennis was invented in equipment, and the paddles
England in the 19th century, evolved over time into the modern
originally as a parlour game for the designs we use today.
upper class. It evolved from lawn
* The International Table Tennis
tennis and was initially played with
Federation (ITTF) was founded in
makeshift equipment before
1926.
becoming the formal sport we
know today. * The maximum thickness of a
table tennis racket blade, as per
* The first World Table Tennis
the International Table Tennis
Championship was held in 1926 in
Federation (ITTF) regulations, is 3.0
London.
mm.
* The game of table tennis was
originally called “wiff-waff” in
England in the 19th century. Loop – A shot hit with a high arc,
causing the ball to land deep on
* The modern table tennis ball is no
the opponent’s side of the table.
longer made of celluloid. While
celluloid was historically used, the Ball – The small, round object used
current balls are typically made of in table tennis.
a plastic material (usually a type of
Racket (or Paddle) – The racket
polymer like ABS) due to safety and
used to hit the ball in table tennis.
environmental concerns.
Sidespin – A shot hit with sidespin,
* Ma Long is widely considered to
causing the ball to curve in the air.
be the greatest table tennis player
of all time, with numerous World Drop Shot – A shot hit softly, with
Championship titles, Olympic gold the intention of just clearing the
medals, and a long reign as World net and dropping quickly on the
No. 1. opponent’s side of the table.

* The original name of table tennis Table – The wooden or synthetic

was “Whiff-Whaff,” which was later board on which table tennis is
replaced by “Ping-Pong” and played.
eventually became known as table
Topspin – A shot hit with topspin,
tennis.
causing the ball to bounce forward
and upward when it hits the Glue (or Rubber Cement) – The
opponent’s side of the table. substance used to attach the
rubber to the blade.
Backspin – A shot hit with backspin,
causing the ball to bounce Rubber – The layer of material
backward when it hits the attached to the blade that comes in
opponent’s side of the table. contact with the ball.

Smash – A shot hit very quickly,

with the ball barely clearing the
* A player is allowed to touch the
net.
table with their non-racket hand
Flip – A shot hit with a combination during a rally, as long as it does not
of topspin and sidespin, causing interfere with the ball or the game.
the ball to curve in the air and However, touching the table with
bounce unpredictably. the racket hand or the racket itself
during a rally would result in a
fault.
Ball Picker – The device used to
* If a player serves out of turn, they
pick up balls from the floor during
lose the point. In doubles, the
practice or after a game.
service order must be followed,
Paddle Length – The length of the and serving out of turn results in
racket handle and blade combined, the loss of the point.
usually around 15–17 cm.
* In a doubles match, each player
Blade – The wooden part of the gets 2 serves before the serve
racket that the rubber is attached alternates to the other team.
to.
* A player loses the point if they fail
Table Surface – The playing surface to return the ball over the net or hit
of the table. it out of bounds.

Ball – The round, white or orange * If the ball hits the net during a
ball used in the game. serve but still lands on the
opponent’s side of the table, it is
Ball Diameter – The standard
called a “let,” and the serve is
diameter of the ball is 40mm.
replayed. The point is not awarded
Sponge – The layer of foam to either player.
material between the blade and
* If a player touches the table with
rubber that affects the speed and
their free hand during play, they
spin of the ball.
lose the point. However, touching
Edge Tape – The protective strip the table with the non-racket hand
that is attached to the edge of the is allowed as long as it does not
blade to prevent damage. interfere with the play.
Net Height – The standard height of * The maximum height for a serve
the net is 15.25 cm (6 inches). in table tennis is 15 centimeters
(approximately 6 inches) above the
Table Width – The standard width of
playing surface. This ensures that
the table is 1.525 meters (5 feet).
the serve is visible and fair to the
Edge Tape – The material used to opponent.
protect the racket’s sides from
* In doubles table tennis, the server
damage.
must serve diagonally across the
table, from their right-hand side to
the opponent’s right-hand side.
* A player is allowed to switch sides * The umpire has the authority to
of the table during a match. In fact, issue warnings and penalties to
in doubles, players switch sides players during a table tennis
after every game, and in some match. They are responsible for
cases, players may change sides enforcing the rules and ensuring
during a match based on specific fair play.
tournament rules or between
* A red card in table tennis signifies
games.
a serious violation, and the player
* In table tennis, the ball must is typically disqualified from the
always be hit over the net and land match.
on the opponent’s side of the table
* If a player fails to start their serve
during a rally. If the ball doesn’t
within the required time limit, they
clear the net or land on the
lose the point.
opponent’s side, it is considered a
fault. * The referee is responsible for
enforcing the rules and making all
* In a singles match, each player
final decisions during a table tennis
serves twice before the serve
match. The umpire handles the
switches to the other player.
day-to-day rulings during play, but
* A player is not allowed to ask the referee oversees the entire
their opponent for advice during a match and resolves disputes.
match. Asking for advice during
* The line judge is responsible for
play is considered a violation of the
calling whether the ball is in or out
rules. Players can only receive
of play during a table tennis match,
coaching between games or during
particularly concerning the edges
time-outs, as permitted by the
of the table.
rules of the competition.
* If a player touches the net during
* A player needs to score 11 points
play, the point is awarded to the
to win a game in table tennis,
opposing player.
unless the score reaches 10-10, in
which case the game continues * The referee is responsible for
until one player gains a 2-point conducting the coin toss before a
lead. table tennis match to determine
which player or team serves first or
* In table tennis, the server must
chooses sides.
toss the ball at least 6 inches
(about 15 centimeters) in the air * The assistant umpire helps the
before hitting it to ensure the serve umpire with tasks such as
is fair and visible to the opponent. monitoring the legality of serves,
checking if the ball is in or out of
* In doubles, the serve must be
bounds, and assisting with any
made diagonally, from the server’s
other rule-related decisions during
right-hand side to the receiver’s
the match.
right-hand side of the table. It
cannot be hit anywhere on the * The umpire should be positioned
table. at least 4 meters away from the
playing area during a table tennis
* In a professional table tennis
match to have an unobstructed
match, typically 4 line judges are
view of the game and ensure fair
used to monitor the edges of the
rulings.
table and ensure that the ball lands
correctly within the boundaries of
the playing surface.