Global InformationTable tennis information
 Table tennis at Liga Pro | |
| Highest governing body | ITTF |
|---|---|
| First played | 19th century, England[1][2] |
| Characteristics | |
| Contact | No |
| Team members | Singles or doubles |
| Type | Racquet sport, indoor |
| Equipment | Poly, 40 mm (1.57 in), 2.7 g (0.095 oz) |
| Glossary | Glossary of table tennis |
| Presence | |
| Olympic | Since 1988 |
| Paralympic | Since inaugural 1960 Summer Paralympics |
Table tennis (also known as ping-pong or whiff-whaff) is a racket sport derived from tennis but distinguished by its playing surface being atop a stationary table, rather than the court on which players stand. Either individually or in teams of two, players take alternating turns returning a light, hollow ball over the table's net onto the opposing half of the court using small rackets until they fail to do so, which results in a point for the opponent. Play is fast, requiring quick reaction and constant attention, and is characterized by an emphasis on spin relative to other ball sports, which can heavily affect the ball's trajectory.
Owed to its small minimum playing area, its ability to be played indoors in all climates, and relative accessibility of equipment, table tennis is enjoyed worldwide not just as a competitive sport, but as a common recreational pastime among players of all levels and ages.
Table tennis has been an Olympic sport since 1988,[3] with event categories in both men's and women's singles, and men's and women's teams since replacing doubles in 2008.
Table tennis is governed by the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF), founded in 1926, and specifies the official rules in the ITTF handbook.[4] ITTF currently includes 226 member associations worldwide.[5]
- ^ Hodges 1993, p. 2
- ^ Letts, Greg. "A Brief History of Table Tennis/Ping-Pong". About.com. The New York Times Company. Archived from the original on 10 May 2011. Retrieved 29 August 2010.
- ^ Hurt III, Harry (5 April 2008). "Ping-Pong as Mind Game (Although a Good Topspin Helps)". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 19 June 2011. Retrieved 28 August 2010.
- ^ "ITTF Handbook". ITTF. Archived from the original on 20 August 2021. Retrieved 20 August 2021.
- ^ "Member Associations". ITTF. Archived from the original on 7 August 2017. Retrieved 25 June 2017.