Table tennis is a true international sport. It played a role in warming relations between the United States and China when, in 1971, the Chinese ping-pong team invited the U.S. squad to China in what was dubbed "ping-pong diplomacy." Table tennis is an indoor sport that can be played year-round. People of all ages can easily learn and enjoy the game.
History
Table tennis and ping-pong are two names for the same sport. According to an article in USA Table Tennis, origins of an indoor tennis game can be traced to England in the mid-1880s. An English company marketed an indoor game called Gosima or ping-pong. The word was patented in the United States at the turn of the century and the rights to the game were eventually bought by Parker Brothers.
Equipment
The International Table Tennis Federation states that an official table is 9 feet long, 5 feet wide and 30 inches high. The net is 6 inches high and divides the table. A white line bisects it down the middle from end to end. The ball must be 40 mm in diameter and should weigh 2.7 g. The racket is covered with a pimpled surface, not more than 2 mm thick, or a solid rubber face no more than 4 mm thick.
Serving
According to the International Table Tennis Federation, a serve must begin with a player holding the ball in the open palm. He must toss the ball up without any spin at least 16 cm and allow it to fall before serving. Throughout the serve the ball must remain above the level of the table and behind the service line. The ball must hit both the server's and receiver's end of the table.
Scoring
A player who hits a ball earns a point if his opponent can’t return the ball to the table. Conversely, a player earns a point if his opponent’s shot doesn’t hit the table. The ball must bounce only once on each side of the table. The first player to reach 11 points is the winner, although the winner must prevail by at least two points.
Doubles
In doubles play, it ball must be served from the right side on the server's side to the receiver's right side. Each player must then alternate shots. When a player returns a serve, the server’s teammate must hit the next return. That shot in turn must be played by the service receiver’s teammate. Both players on each team alternate serve and return responsibilities.
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