History of table tennis

Table tennis (also known by its trade name ping-pong and formerly known as whiff-
whaff) is a game played among two or four players on a flat table.

The game of Table Tennis has its roots in lawn tennis. When lawn tennis became very
popular in the 1870s & 1880s, game makers tried to emulate its' success by developing
indoor versions of the game. David Foster of England introduced the first action game of
tennis on a table in 1890.

It is a fairly popular game and is also played as a competitive sport in several countries.
It has also been an Olympic sport since 1988. Table tennis as a competitive sport is
popular in East Asia and Europe. It introduced to the upper-class Englishmen as a
recreational activity to kill time. Today, it’s an internationally recognizable sport.

Terminologies in table tennis

Backhand: Backhand shots are taken on the non-dominant side of your body with your
dominant hand coming into action with the back side of the palm facing toward the
direction of the shot.

Backspin: Backspin is the backward rotation of the ball. Backspinning means brushing
under the ball with the racket. This technique is frequently used in service and for
defensive shots like chops and pushes.

Blade: This inner part of a racket is made with wooden or composite materials
consisting of wood and carbon.

Block: A defensive shot, close to the table, is taken just after the ball bounce with
minimal movement of the racket.

Chop: Chop is a defensive return, taken away from the table by backspinning the
incoming ball.

Chop Block: Chop block is a high-risk shot taken close to the table with short-arm
action that often brings desired results. This is a short stroke with the help of backspin
and sidespin by using the opponent’s speed and spin.

Deuce: ‘Deuce’ occurs when a set is tied at 10-10. In this situation, a lead of 2 points is
necessary to win the game/ set.

Doubles: In doubles, two teams participate in a match pairing 2 players each.

Drive: It is a basic table tennis shot, taken close to the table by the forward and slightly
upward movement of the racket arm pointed toward the direction where the ball is going
to travel.

Drop Shot: A drop shot is imparted by dropping the ball very close to the net on the
opponent’s side. This is a clever shot when the opponent is away from the table.

Flick/ Flip: It is an offensive shot to tackle a short ball by topspinning the ball over the
table using wrist action.

Forehand: Forehand strokes are taken on the dominant side of your body with the palm
facing toward the direction of the shot.

Inverted (Pips-in) Rubber: It is the common type of rubber where the pimples are
facing inwards and the outer playing surface is smooth.

ITTF: International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF), the governing body of table tennis

Let: Let is a frequently used term in table tennis to interrupt the play. The most common
occurrence is the let serve when the ball touches the net but otherwise is correct.

Lob: It is a defensive shot taken away from the table by placing a high ball against an
attacking shot.

Loop: ‘Loop’ is the most used shot in modern table tennis. It is a powerful heavy topspin
drive that involves the flexible wrist for brushing the ball with an upward and forward
movement.

Match: A table tennis match consists of 3, 5, or 7 sets or games.

Multi-ball: It is an effective training practice by continuously feeding balls for the

development of skills.

Penhold: This terminology in table tennis refers to the holding technique, mainly used
by Asian players. In this form of grip, the index finger and thumb are curled around the
edge of the paddle to form a ‘C’ shape and the other three fingers act the supporting
role on the other side of the rubber. It looks like you are holding a pen.

Pips-out: A special type of rubber in which pimples are facing outward.

Point: Point is the elementary term used in the scoring system.

Push: Push is a soft defensive backspin shot, usually used for returning short backspin
balls.
Rally: A rally is an exchange of shots between two players. A rally starts with a serve
and results in a point.

Rubber: Rubbers, the outer part of a racket, are pasted on a blade to form a racket. A
rubber consists of a topsheet and a sponge. Rubbers are of two types, pips-in or
inverted (pimples facing inward) and pips-out (pimples facing outward).

Serve: A rally starts with a serve. The first bounce of service must be on your side and
the second bounce on your opponent’s side by crossing over the net.

Set: This terminology indicates scoring in a table tennis match. A set consists of 11
points if not tied at 10-10.

Shakehand: It is the most common grip to hold a racket that looks like you are shaking
your hand.

Sidespin: Sidespin is the sideways (right or left) angular rotation of the ball.

Singles: In this format, two players contest against each other in a table tennis match.

Smash: Smash is a powerful offensive shot to force your opponent to go to the

backfoot. Smash is imparted by hitting a high ball with a flat contact. The object is to
generate maximum speed, not spin.

Spin: Spin is the angular rotation of a ball. There are three types of spin, topspin,
backspin, and sidespin.

Stance: “Stance” is the readiness before returning a service by placing feet and
transferring body weight.

Time-out: This rule allows each player or team to opt for a one-minute break during the
entire period of a match.

Topspin: Topspin is the forward rotation of the ball that can be created by brushing on
the top of the ball with the racket. This technique helps to build consistency in the game.
It is the most effective way for returning a backspin ball.
Rules and procedures in games of singles and doubles

Table Tennis Singles Rules

Stand behind the end of the table. You can stand in any position to serve.

You should take the ball in the open palm of your non-playing hand and throw it
vertically without imparting any kind of spin, so it rises to a minimum height of 16 cm or
6.3 inches.

During the period of service, the ball must be above and behind the playing surface.

At the time of falling, hit the ball, so it hits your side once and then bounces over the net.
After bouncing over the net, the ball must also drop on the table of the opponent’s side
to make it a valid service.

You can’t hit the ball over the table. You must hit the ball behind the table.

If the ball hits the net and doesn’t go over, the point goes to your opponent player.

When the server throws the ball for service, the ball is “in play”.

You can’t hide the ball from your opponent during service

Table Tennis Doubles Rules

If you serve for your Doubles team, the ball must drop its first bounce on the right half
portion of the table. After bouncing over the net, the ball must drop on the right half
portion of the receiver.

While playing a Doubles match, after switching over the service, the previous receiver
becomes the new server and the partner of the previous server becomes the receiver.

A doubles pair must strike the ball alternately.

During a rally, play must continue in its sequence until a player of any team miss hits
the ball.
Procedure of serving

1. Hold the ball flat in the palm of your hand. To start a legal serve, keep your hand
completely open and flat after you pick up the ball.

2. Beep the ball above the table and behind your serve line. The hand holding the ball
(which will become your “free hand”) has to be above the table as you get ready to serve.

3. Keep your racket hand below the table to hide it. Unlike the ball, your racket can be
hidden under the table. Doing this may help you hide the kind of serve you’re going to make.
You’ll need to quickly bring your racket up once you throw the ball into the air to get ready to
serve.

4. Throw the ball at least 6.3 inches (16 cm) up in the air. This is the minimum height
required by the officials. Any lower and it won’t be counted as a legal serve. The ball needs to
be thrown up vertically rather than sideways or diagonally.

5. Strike the ball when it’s falling. Don’t hit the ball when it’s still going up in the air or when
it’s at the top of your throw. Wait until it’s coming back down toward the table to avoid getting
called out by the official

6. Bounce the ball on your side before it goes over the net. Hit the ball so that it lands on
your side first. If it just sails over the net without bouncing, it’s an illegal serve.

7. Hit anywhere on the table if you’re playing singles. Your opponent’s whole side is fair
game if it’s just the two of you.

8. Hit the opposite diagonal if you’re playing doubles. You’re restricted to the square that’s
diagonal from you if you’re playing with partners. Anything that hits outside this square is illegal.

9. Move your free arm away from the ball once you’ve served. It’s illegal to “hide” the the
ball from the official or your opponent with your hand once you’ve served.
How can you score in table tennis?

How table tennis points are scored

- The aim in table tennis is to strike the ball in a manner that the opponent fails to
make contact with the ball, which earns the player a point. This can either be by
sheer power, spin or other deceptive means.

- However, if the ball hits the net and it fails to bounce over into the opponent’s
half, or hits it over the net and out of bounds without coming into contact with the
table, the opponent gets a point.

- In doubles, the rule gets a bit more tricky. Here, the server and the partner have
to alternate while attempting to push the ball on to the opponent’s side of the
table. Here the service alternates as well.

- The opponent can also be awarded a point if you hit the ball outside the playing
surface or if the ball comes in contact with any part of your body while attempting
a shot.

How to win in table tennis

According to the laws of table tennis, a player can win a game of table tennis by scoring
11 points - with one point awarded for every infringement. Every player gets to serve
twice in a row. The first to 11 points is declared the winner.

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

A match is won by winning games. The number of games per match varies across
competitions and categories.

While singles matches are usually a best-of-seven event, doubles are a best-of-five
affair.
2 kinds of grip

Shakehand Grip

People who play ping pong are almost always shown to be holding it with their index
fingers on the side of the paddle directly facing the body, and the thumb resting on top
of the other fingers which are encircled around the blade handle. It is called a
shakehand grip because the blade rests on the V-shape created by one’s thumb and
index finger, and save for the other three fingers, this grip will make it look like one is
about to shake hands with someone. The index finger should lie roughly parallel with
the edge of the rubber at the base of the flat paddle area where one hits the ball.

Penhold Grip

The second most popular type of grip would be the penhold grip. There are three main
versions of this type of grip, namely, the traditional Chinese grip, the Japanese or
Korean grip, and the reverse penhold backhand grip. One grips the paddle handle the
same way one would grip a pen when one is about to write, with the thumb and index
finger in front of the handle, and the remaining three fingers curled slightly around the
back of the racket for support.

Different servers

Forehand Serve

The forehand serve is the most common type of serve and the one that most beginners
start with. Hold the paddle with the palm side of your hand facing the receiver. Then,
simply hit the ball with the flat side of the paddle.

Backhand Serve

The backhand serve is very similar to the forehand serve. This time, you have the back
of your hand facing the receiver.

Pendulum Serve

The pendulum serve offers you the most variety. You can put different types of spins on
the ball, depending on how you hit it. A forehand pendulum serve can give you no spin,
under-spin, top-spin, or side-spin. To the opponent, the stroke looks similar. A slight
adjustment on your part puts the spin you want, surprising the opponent each time.

Ghost Serve
As the name suggests, a ghost serve is meant to deceive your opponent. This is one of
the most challenging serves to predict and prepare for. Most table tennis professionals
also prefer this serve, mainly the backspin ghost serve. You brush the underside of the
ball with your paddle. You hold the paddle horizontally for this serve.

The objective here is to get the ball bouncing back towards you on the opponent’s side
of the court.