TABLE
TENNIS
TERMINOLOGIES
A smooth rubber with very low surface friction, used to
Anti or
Anti-loop or defend against excessive spin or to confuse the opponent.
Anti-spin This type of rubber deactivates spin and speed, returning
a "dead" ball.
A shot executed where the back of your hand is pointing
Backhand towards the opponent, to the left of the elbow for a right
handed player and vice versa for a left handed player.
A type of spin used mostly on defensive shots. When you
Backspin chop down on the ball, you produce backspin. The
bottom of the ball will move away from you.
Bat An alternative name for the racket.
Blade The wooden part of the racket.
Block A topspin shot played close to the table with the racket
making contact with the ball just after it bounces.
Blocker A style of play where use of the block is the primary
stroke.
Chop A defensive return of a topspin stroke played with
backspin, usually well away from the table.
A style of play where use of the chop is the primary
Chopper stroke.
A stroke played with the striking surface of the racket
Closed Racket
angled downwards, eg. a topspin stroke or block.
Counter-loop A loop stroke played in response to a loop stroke from
your opponent.
Counter-smash A smash stroke played in response to a smash stroke from
your opponent
Cross-court A stroke that's hit diagonally from corner to corner.
The area in which the player has no obvious choice of
Crossover Point forehand or backhand. For a right handed player, the
crossover point is roughly in line with the right hip.
A stroke played which returns the ball with very little, or
Dead ball no spin.
Deep Playing any shot which causes the ball to bounce very
near to your opponents end of the table.
When the ball bounces twice on one side of the table
Double Bounce before a return is made, causing that player to lose the
point.
Doubles A game of table tennis where two people play on each
side and alternate turns at striking the ball.
Down the line A stroke that's played where the ball travels parallel to
the sidelines of the table.
A stroke played close to the table with your racket arm
Drive moving forward and slightly upwards in the direction that
the ball is going to travel.
A shot which drops very short over the net on your
Drop shot opponent’s side of the table. Usually played when your
opponent is positioned away from the table.
Playing a stroke (during a rally) that makes contact with the
Early ball just after it bounces.
Flat Playing a stroke with minimum topspin so that the ball travels
very low over the net.
A stroke played close to the table where you hit over the back
Flick
or top of ball, using a loose wrist action to impart topspin.
A shot executed where the palm of your hand is facing your
Forehand opponent, to the right side of the elbow for a right handed
player and vice versa for a left handed player.
Free Hand The hand not holding the racket.
A game is won by the player or pair first scoring 11 points
Game unless both players or pairs score 10 points, when a game
shall be won by the first player or pair subsequently gaining a
lead of 2 points.
Heavy Used to describe excessive spin.
A serve where the ball is thrown high into the air. This helps
High Toss Serve the server to increase the amount of spin and speed imparted
onto the ball.
ITTF International Table Tennis Federation - the international
governing body for the sport of table tennis.
Kill An aggressive shot hit with too much speed for the opponent
to return it.
Playing a stroke (during a rally) that makes contact with the
Late ball when the ball is descending rather than rising.
Let If play is interrupted for any reason during a rally, a let is
called and the point does not count.
Lob A defensive shot used against high-speed shots, where the
ball is returned very high in the air.
Long Playing any shot which causes the ball to bounce very near to
your opponent's end of the table.
An attacking stroke where excessive topspin is imparted onto
Loop the ball. This enables you to hit the ball harder as the topspin
will help you keep the ball in play.
Looper A style of play where use of the loop is the primary stroke.
A return shot that is either too high, too long, has insufficient
Loose return spin or a combination of these and therefore makes it easy for
your opponent to attack or kill.
Open Racket A stroke played with the striking surface of the racket angled
upwards, eg. a push or backspin shot.
Paddle An alternative name for the racket.
A style of grip in which the racket handle is held between the
Penhold thumb and forefinger. Used mainly by Asian players.
A type of racket covering. A sheet of rubber on top of a layer
of sponge. The pimples (pips) point outwards, so the playing
Pimples
surface is pimpled. Depending on the length and hardness of
the pimples, unusual types of spin can be imparted.
Ping Pong A trademarked name. Used predominantly in USA. Often used
interchangeably with table tennis by the general public.
The upper surface of a table tennis table which lies in a
Playing Surface horizontal plane 76cm (2ft 6in) above the floor.
Point A unit of scoring in table tennis.
Push A backspin shot usually executed over the table.
Racket The equipment used to hit the ball.
Racket hand The hand that is used to hold the racket.
Rally The period during which the ball is in play.
Receiver The player due to strike the ball second in a rally.
The racket covering. Sometimes refers only to the rubber on
Rubber top of a sponge base.
Server The player due to strike the ball first in a rally.
A style of grip in which the racket handle is held in the palm of
your hand so that the start of the racket head fits snugly into
Shakehand
the "V" shape formed by your thumb and first finger - similar
to shaking hands with another person.
Playing any shot which causes the ball to bounce very near to
Short the net and, if not hit by your opponent, would bounce at
least twice on the table.
Sidespin A type of spin imparted onto the ball causing it to move left or
right before and after it strikes the table surface.
An aggressive shot hit with too much speed for your
Smash opponent to return it, often in response to a high bouncing
return.
The rotation of the ball. A player can impart spin onto the ball
Spin by using a brushing action with the racket surface.
Sponge A type of racket covering used in sandwich rubbers. It is used
under a sheet of rubber with pimples.
Stroke Any shot used by a player in a game.
Sweet spot The portion of the racket (usually near the centre) which
produces the best response.
The stroke played by the server after the opponent's return of
Third ball or the serve. Because the serve can be used to make attacking
Third ball attack difficult for the opponent, the third ball is frequently the first
strong attacking stroke in any table tennis rally.
Playing any shot which makes it difficult for your opponent to
Tight attack.
A type of spin imparted onto the ball causing it to arc over the
Topspin net and down onto the table surface.
The act of turning the racket in your hand in order to use
Twiddle different sides of the racket to strike the ball. Usually only
used by players who have different rubbers on each side of
the racket in order to deceive their opponent.
Umpire The person appointed to control a match.
A type of spin used mostly on defensive shots. When you
Underspin chop down on the ball, you produce underspin. The bottom of
the ball will move away from you.
Volley Hitting the ball before it bounces on your side of the table. A
player who volleys the ball generally loses the point.
