A brief history of table tennis

Table tennis would arguably top any list of the most popular indoor sports in the world. It is played in virtually every country in the world by young and old, unfit and athletic alike. It is extremely easy to collect and requires very little investment in terms of equipment. You can learn it in an afternoon, become good at it in a week, but it will still take you a lifetime to master. These unique properties have made it one of the world’s favorite sports.

Brief history of table tennis

The origins of the game can be traced back to a parlor game popular in late 19th century England. This simple game consisted mainly of hitting a champagne cork with a book, back and forth on a large table (usually a dining table) separated into two halves by a row of books (the ‘net’). Initially, the game was called “whiff-whaff” due to the sound the books made when players wielded them.

The growing popularity of this game prompted manufacturers to take advantage and create specialized equipment: tables, balls, and rackets (which consisted of a roll of thick parchment stretched over a wooden frame). The sound these early rackets made when hitting the ball gave the game its name, ‘Ping Pong’, and modern table tennis was born.

By the 1920s, there were thousands of amateur players across Europe and the need to regulate the sport was felt. Thus, in 1926, the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) was formed, which regulates the sport to this day. The same year, the first World Championships were held in London, thus giving birth to professional table tennis.

Basic rules of table tennis

An important factor in the popularity of table tennis is the simplicity of its rules. Some sports, like basketball or cricket, have a large number of rules that dictate how the game should be played.

Table tennis, on the other hand, consists only of hitting a ball across a table with a pair of rackets while making sure that the ball doesn’t crash into the net, and bounces once (and only once) in the opponent’s half of the desk. If the ball is not hit in the opponent’s half court, the player loses a point.

The first player to reach 11 points wins a game. The game is played between 2 (singles) or 4 (doubles) players. Of course, at a competitive level, there are a number of other rules regarding serving, pot, etc., but a beginner just needs to know the above rules to start playing.

table tennis equipment

The equipment used to play table tennis consists only of a pair of rackets, a celluloid plastic ball and a table separated into two halves by a net. The rackets and ball are relatively cheap and the table is the only “expensive” part, although you can buy beginner tables quite cheaply.

The rackets or blades are made of wood and are covered with rubber on one or both sides. The quality and pattern of the rubber are extremely important as they dictate the spin and speed of the ball. The ball itself is made of celluloid plastic and has a diameter of 40mm.

The table on which the game is played must be 9 feet long, 5 feet wide, 30 inches high with a hardboard top, per ITTF regulations, although smaller tables are often used by amateur players . The quality of the table greatly affects the game. The best tables offer more consistent rebounds, spin, and speed.

a world sport

The main countries that play table tennis are China, South Korea, Singapore, Japan, Germany, Austria and Sweden. China is the dominant power in the sport, having won 60% of world championships since 1960. Hungary was another dominant power in the first half of the century, but has declined considerably in recent decades. Major tournaments include the Olympic Games, the World, Asian and European Championships, and the World Cup of Table Tennis.

Changes in the equipment used to play the sport (higher quality rackets, tables and balls) have brought new dimensions to the game and further increased its accessibility. In the years to come, table tennis is sure to increase in popularity all over the world.