TABLE TENNIS

HISTORY AND DEVELOPMENT

The sport originated in Victorian England, where it was played among the upper-class as an after-
dinner parlour game.[1][2] It has been suggested that makeshift versions of the game were developed
by British military officers in India around the 1860s or 1870s, who brought it back with them.[6] A row
of books stood up along the center of the table as a net, two more books served as rackets and were
used to continuously hit a golf-ball.[7][8]
The name "ping-pong" was in wide use before British manufacturer J. Jaques & Son
Ltd trademarked it in 1901. The name "ping-pong" then came to describe the game played using the
rather expensive Jaques's equipment, with other manufacturers calling it table tennis. A similar
situation arose in the United States, where Jaques sold the rights to the "ping-pong" name to Parker
Brothers. Parker Brothers then enforced its trademark for the term in the 1920s, making the various
associations change their names to "table tennis" instead of the more common, but trademarked,
term.[9]
The next major innovation was by James W. Gibb, a British enthusiast of table tennis, who
discovered novelty celluloid balls on a trip to the US in 1901 and found them to be ideal for the
game. This was followed by E.C. Goode who, in 1901, invented the modern version of the racket by
fixing a sheet of pimpled, or stippled, rubber to the wooden blade. Table tennis was growing in
popularity by 1901 to the extent that tournaments were being organized, books being written on the
subject,[7] and an unofficial world championship was held in 1902. In those early days, the scoring
system was the same as in lawn tennis.[10]
Although both a "Table Tennis Association" and a "Ping Pong Association" existed by 1910,[10] a
new Table Tennis Association was founded in 1921, and renamed the English Table Tennis
Association in 1926.[11] The International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) followed in 1926.[1][12] London
hosted the first official World Championships in 1926. In 1933, the United States Table Tennis
Association, now called USA Table Tennis, was formed.[1][13]
In the 1930s, Edgar Snow commented in Red Star Over China that the Communist forces in
the Chinese Civil War had a "passion for the English game of table tennis" which he found
"bizarre".[14] On the other hand, the popularity of the sport waned in 1930s Soviet Union, partly
because of the promotion of team and military sports, and partly because of a theory that the game
had adverse health effects.[15]
In the 1950s, paddles that used a rubber sheet combined with an underlying sponge layer changed
the game dramatically,[1] introducing greater spin and speed.[16] These were introduced to Britain by
sports goods manufacturer S.W. Hancock Ltd. The use of speed glue beginning in the mid 1980s
increased the spin and speed even further, resulting in changes to the equipment to "slow the game
down". Table tennis was introduced as an Olympic sport at the Olympics in 1988.[17]

Rule changes
 Assortment of 40 mm table tennis balls

After the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, the ITTF instituted several rule changes that were aimed at
making table tennis more viable as a televised spectator sport.[18][19] First, the older 38 mm (1.50 in)
balls were officially replaced by 40 mm (1.57 in) balls in October 2000.[7][20] This increased the ball's air
resistance and effectively slowed down the game. By that time, players had begun increasing the
thickness of the fast sponge layer on their paddles, which made the game excessively fast and
difficult to watch on television. A few months later, the ITTF changed from a 21-point to an 11-point
scoring system (and the serve rotation was reduced from five points to two), effective in September
2001.[7] This was intended to make games more fast-paced and exciting. The ITTF also changed the
rules on service to prevent a player from hiding the ball during service, in order to increase the
average length of rallies and to reduce the server's advantage, effective in 2002.[21] For the opponent
to have time to realize a serve is taking place, the ball must be tossed a minimum of 16 centimetres
(6.3 in) in the air. The ITTF states that all events after July 2014 are played with a new poly material
ball.[22] [23]

Equipment
Ball

Table Tennis Plastic Balls 40+ mm with ITTF approval

The international rules specify that the game is played with a sphere having a mass of 2.7 grams
(0.095 oz) and a diameter of 40 millimetres (1.57 in).[24] The rules say that the ball shall bounce up
24–26 cm (9.4–10.2 in) when dropped from a height of 30.5 cm (12.0 in) onto a standard steel block
thereby having a coefficient of restitution of 0.89 to 0.92. Balls are now made of a polymer instead
of celluloid as of 2015, colored white or orange, with a matte finish. The choice of ball color is made
according to the table color and its surroundings. For example, a white ball is easier to see on a
green or blue table than it is on a grey table. Manufacturers often indicate the quality of the ball with
a star rating system, usually from one to three, three being the highest grade. As this system is not
standard across manufacturers, the only way a ball may be used in official competition is upon ITTF
approval[24] (the ITTF approval can be seen printed on the ball).
The 40 mm ball was introduced after the end of the 2000 Summer Olympics; previously a 38 mm
ball was standard.[20] This created some controversies. Then World No 1 table tennis
professional Vladimir Samsonov threatened to pull out of the World Cup, which was scheduled to
debut the new regulation ball on October 12, 2000.[25]
Table

Diagram of a table tennis table showing the official dimensions

The table is 2.74 m (9.0 ft) long, 1.525 m (5.0 ft) wide, and 76 cm (2.5 ft) high with any continuous
material so long as the table yields a uniform bounce of about 23 cm (9.1 in) when a standard ball is
dropped onto it from a height of 30 cm (11.8 in), or about 77%.[26][27] The table or playing surface is
uniformly dark coloured and matte, divided into two halves by a net at 15.25 cm (6.0 in) in height.
The ITTF approves only wooden tables or their derivates. Concrete tables with a steel net or a solid
concrete partition are sometimes available in outside public spaces, such as parks.[28]

Racket
Players are equipped with a laminated wooden racket covered with rubber on one or two sides
depending on the grip of the player. The ITTF uses the term "racket",[30] though "bat" is common in
Britain, and "paddle" in the U.S. and Canada.
The wooden portion of the racket, often referred to as the "blade", commonly features anywhere
between one and seven plies of wood, though cork, glass fiber, carbon fiber, aluminum fiber, and
Kevlar are sometimes used. According to the ITTF regulations, at least 85% of the blade by
thickness shall be of natural wood.[31] Common wood types include balsa, limba, and cypress or
"hinoki", which is popular in Japan. The average size of the blade is about 17 centimetres (6.7 in)
long and 15 centimetres (5.9 in) wide. Although the official restrictions only focus on the flatness and
rigidity of the blade itself, these dimensions are optimal for most play styles.
Table tennis regulations allow different rubber surfaces on each side of the racket.[32] Various types of
surfaces provide various levels of spin or speed, and in some cases they nullify spin. For example, a
player may have a rubber that provides much spin on one side of their racket, and one that provides
no spin on the other. By flipping the racket in play, different types of returns are possible. To help a
player distinguish between the rubber used by his opposing player, international rules specify that
one side must be red while the other side must be black.[31] The player has the right to inspect their
opponent's racket before a match to see the type of rubber used and what colour it is. Despite high-
speed play and rapid exchanges, a player can see clearly what side of the racket was used to hit the
ball. Current rules state that, unless damaged in play, the racket cannot be exchanged for another
racket at any time during a match.[
GAMEPLAY
Starting a game
According to ITTF rule 2.13.1, the first service is decided by lot,[34] normally a coin toss.[35] It is also
common for one player (or the umpire/scorer) to hide the ball in one or the other hand, usually
hidden under the table, allowing the other player to guess which hand the ball is in. The correct or
incorrect guess gives the "winner" the option to choose to serve, receive, or to choose which side of
the table to use. (A common but non-sanctioned method is for the players to play the ball back and
forth three times and then play out the point. This is commonly referred to as "serve to play", "rally to
serve", "play for serve", or "volley for serve".)
Service and return
In game play, the player serving the ball commences a play.[36] The server first stands with the ball
held on the open palm of the hand not carrying the paddle, called the freehand, and tosses the ball
directly upward without spin, at least 16 cm (6.3 in) high.[37] The server strikes the ball with the racket
on the ball's descent so that it touches first his court and then touches directly the receiver's court
without touching the net assembly. In casual games, many players do not toss the ball upward;
however, this is technically illegal and can give the serving player an unfair advantage.
The ball must remain behind the endline and above the upper surface of the table, known as the
playing surface, at all times during the service. The server cannot use his/her body or clothing to
obstruct sight of the ball; the opponent and the umpire must have a clear view of the ball at all times.
If the umpire is doubtful of the legality of a service they may first interrupt play and give a warning to
the server. If the serve is a clear failure or is doubted again by the umpire after the warning, the
receiver scores a point.
If the service is "good", then the receiver must make a "good" return by hitting the ball back before it
bounces a second time on receiver's side of the table so that the ball passes the net and touches the
opponent's court, either directly or after touching the net assembly.[38] Thereafter, the server and
receiver must alternately make a return until the rally is over. Returning the serve is one of the most
difficult parts of the game, as the server's first move is often the least predictable and thus most
advantageous shot due to the numerous spin and speed choices at his or her disposal
Let
A Let is a rally of which the result is not scored, and is called in the following circumstances:[39]

 The ball touches the net in service (service), provided the service is otherwise correct or
the ball is obstructed by the player on the receiving side. Obstruction means a player
touches the ball when it is above or traveling towards the playing surface, not having
touched the player's court since last being struck by the player.
 When the player on the receiving side is not ready and the service is delivered.
 Player's failure to make a service or a return or to comply with the Laws is due to a
disturbance outside the control of the player.
 Play is interrupted by the umpire or assistant umpire.
A let is also called foul service, if the ball hits the server's side of the table, if the ball does not pass
further than the edge and if the ball hits the table edge and hits the net.
Scoring
A point is scored by the player for any of several results of the rally:[40]

 The opponent fails to make a correct service or return.

  After making a service or a return, the ball touches anything other than the net assembly
before being struck by the opponent.
 The ball passes over the player's court or beyond their end line without touching their
court, after being struck by the opponent.
 The opponent obstructs the ball.
 The opponent strikes the ball twice successively. Note that the hand that is holding the
racket counts as part of the racket and that making a good return off one's hand or
fingers is allowed. It is not a fault if the ball accidentally hits one's hand or fingers and
then subsequently hits the racket.
 The opponent strikes the ball with a side of the racket blade whose surface is not
covered with rubber.
 The opponent moves the playing surface or touches the net assembly.
 The opponent's free hand touches the playing surface.
 As a receiver under the expedite system, completing 13 returns in a rally.[41]
 The opponent that has been warned by the umpire commits a second offense in the
same individual match or team match. If the third offence happens, 2 points will be given
to the player.[42] If the individual match or the team match has not ended, any unused
penalty points can be transferred to the next game of that match.[35]
A game shall be won by the player first scoring 11 points unless both players score 10 points, when
the game shall be won by the first player subsequently gaining a lead of 2 points. A match shall
consist of the best of any odd number of games.[43] In competition play, matches are typically best of
five or seven games.
Alternation of services and ends
Service alternates between opponents every two points (regardless of winner of the rally) until the
end of the game, unless both players score ten points or the expedite system is operated, when the
sequences of serving and receiving stay the same but each player serves for only one point in turn
(Deuce).[44] The player serving first in a game receives first in the next game of the match.
After each game, players switch sides of the table. In the last possible game of a match, for example
the seventh game in a best of seven match, players change ends when the first player scores five
points, regardless of whose turn it is to serve. If the sequence of serving and receiving is out of turn
or the ends are not changed, points scored in the wrong situation are still calculated and the game
shall be resumed with the order at the score that has been reached.
Doubles game
In addition to games between individual players, pairs may also play table tennis. Singles and
doubles are both played in international competition, including the Olympic Games since 1988 and
the Commonwealth Games since 2002.[45] In 2005, the ITTF announced that doubles table tennis
only was featured as a part of team events in the 2008 Olympics.
In doubles, all the rules of single play are applied except for the following.
Service
A line painted along the long axis of the table to create doubles courts bisects the table. This
line's only purpose is to facilitate the doubles service rule, which is that service must
originate from the right hand "box" in such a way that the first bounce of the serve bounces
once in said right hand box and then must bounce at least once in the opponent side's right
hand box (far left box for server), or the receiving pair score a point.[37]
Order of play, serving and receiving

1. Players must hit the ball in turn. For example, if A is paired with B and X is paired
with Y, then A is the server and X is the receiver. and the order of play shall be
A→X→B→Y. The rally proceeds this way until one side fails to make a legal return
and the other side scores.[46]
2. At each change of service, the previous receiver shall become the server and the
partner of the previous server shall become the receiver. For example, if the
previous order of play is A→X→B→Y, the order becomes X→B→Y→A after the
change of service.[44]
3. In the second or the latter games of a match, the game begins in reverse order of
play. For example, if the order of play is A→X→B→Y at beginning of the first game,
the order begins with X→A→Y→B or Y→B→X→A in the second game depending
on either X or Y being chosen as the first server of the game. That means the first
receiver of the game is the player who served to the first server of the game in the
preceding game. In each game of a doubles match, the pair having the right to serve
first shall choose which of them will do so. The receiving pair, however, can only
choose in the first game of the match.
4. When a pair reaches 5 points in the final game, the pairs must switch ends of the
table and change the receiver to reverse the order of play. For example, when the
last order of play before a pair score 5 points in the final game is A→X→B→Y, the
order after change shall be A→Y→B→X if A still has the second serve. Otherwise, X
is the next server and the order becomes X→A→Y→
Expedite system
If a game is unfinished after 10 minutes of play and fewer than 18 points have been scored, the
expedite system is initiated.[41] The umpire interrupts the game, and the game resumes with players
serving for one point in turn. If the expedite system is introduced while the ball is not in play, the
previous receiver shall serve first. Under the expedite system, the server must win the point before
the opponent makes 13 consecutive returns or the point goes to the opponent. The system can also
be initiated at any time at the request of both players or pairs. Once introduced, the expedite system
remains in force until the end of the match. A rule to shorten the time of a match, it is mainly seen in
defensive players' games.

GRIPS
Though table tennis players grip their rackets in various ways, their grips can be classified into two
major families of styles, penhold and shakehand.[47] The rules of table tennis do not prescribe the
manner in which one must grip the racket, and numerous grips are employed.
Penhold

An example of a Penholder grip

The penhold grip is so-named because one grips the racket similarly to the way one holds a writing
instrument.[48] The style of play among penhold players can vary greatly from player to player. The
most popular style, usually referred to as the Chinese penhold style, involves curling the middle,
ring, and fourth finger on the back of the blade with the three fingers always touching one
another.[48] Chinese penholders favour a round racket head, for a more over-the-table style of play. In
contrast, another style, sometimes referred to as the Japanese/Korean penhold grip, involves
splaying those three fingers out across the back of the racket, usually with all three fingers touching
the back of the racket, rather than stacked upon one another.[48] Sometimes a combination of the two
styles occurs, wherein the middle, ring and fourth fingers are straight, but still stacked, or where all
fingers may be touching the back of the racket, but are also in contact with one another. Japanese
and Korean penholders will often use a square-headed racket for an away-from-the-table style of
play. Traditionally these square-headed rackets feature a block of cork on top of the handle, as well
as a thin layer of cork on the back of the racket, for increased grip and comfort. Penhold styles are
popular among players originating from East Asian countries such
as China, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, and Taiwan.
Traditionally, penhold players use only one side of the racket to hit the ball during normal play, and
the side which is in contact with the last three fingers is generally not used.[citation needed] This configuration
is sometimes referred to as "traditional penhold" and is more commonly found in square-headed
racket styles. However, the Chinese developed a technique in the 1990s in which a penholder uses
both sides of the racket to hit the ball, where the player produces a backhand stroke (most often
topspin) known as a reverse penhold backhand by turning the traditional side of the racket to face
one's self, and striking the ball with the opposite side of the racket. This stroke has greatly improved
and strengthened the penhold style both physically and psychologically, as it eliminates the strategic
weakness of the traditional penhold backhand.
Shakehand
Shakehand grip

Forehand

Backhand

The shakehand grip is so-named because the racket is grasped as if one is performing a
handshake.[49] Though it is sometimes referred to as the "tennis" or "Western" grip, it bears no relation
to the Western tennis grip, which was popularized on the West Coast of the United States in which
the racket is rotated 90°, and played with the wrist turned so that on impact the knuckles face the
target. In table tennis, "Western" refers to Western nations, for this is the grip that players native to
Europe and the Americas have almost exclusively employed.
The shakehand grip's simplicity and versatility, coupled with the acceptance among top-level
Chinese trainers that the European style of play should be emulated and trained against, has
established it as a common grip even in China.[50] Many world-class European and East Asian players
currently use the shakehand grip, and it is generally accepted that shakehands is easier to learn
than penholder, allowing a broader range of playing styles both offensive and defensive.[49]

Stance
'A good ready position will enable you to move quickly into position and to stay balanced whilst
playing powerful strokes.'[52]
The stance in table tennis is also known as the 'ready position'. It is the position every player initially
adopts when receiving and returns to after playing a shot in order to be prepared to make the next
shot. It involves the feet being spaced wider than shoulder width and a partial crouch being adopted;
the crouch is an efficient posture for moving quickly from and also preloads the muscles enabling a
more dynamic movement. The upper torso is positioned slightly forward and the player is looking
forwards. The racket is held at the ready with a bent arm. The position should feel balanced and
provide a solid base for striking and quick lateral movement. Players may tailor their stance based
upon their personal preferences, and alter it during the game based upon the specific
circumstances.[53]

Types of strokes
Table tennis strokes generally break down into offensive and defensive categories.
Offensive strokes
Hit
Also known as speed drive, a direct hit on the ball propelling it forward back to the opponent. This
stroke differs from speed drives in other racket sports like tennis because the racket is
primarily perpendicular to the direction of the stroke and most of the energy applied to the ball
results in speed rather than spin, creating a shot that does not arc much, but is fast enough that it
can be difficult to return. A speed drive is used mostly for keeping the ball in play, applying pressure
on the opponent, and potentially opening up an opportunity for a more powerful attack.
Loop
Perfected during the 1960s,[1][54] the loop is essentially the reverse of the chop. The racket
is parallel to the direction of the stroke ("closed") and the racket thus grazes the ball, resulting in a
large amount of topspin. A good loop drive will arc quite a bit, and once striking the opponent's side
of the table will jump forward, much like a kick serve in tennis. Most professional players nowadays,
such as Ding Ning, Timo Boll and Zhang Jike, primarily use loop for offense.
Counter-hit
The counter-hit is usually a counterattack against drives, normally high loop drives. The racket is
held closed and near to the ball, which is hit with a short movement "off the bounce" (immediately
after hitting the table) so that the ball travels faster to the other side. Kenta Matsudaira is known for
primarily using counter-hit for offense.
Flip
When a player tries to attack a ball that has not bounced beyond the edge of the table, the player
does not have the room to wind up in a backswing. The ball may still be attacked, however, and the
resulting shot is called a flip because the backswing is compressed into a quick wrist action. A flip is
not a single stroke and can resemble either a loop drive or a loop in its characteristics. What
identifies the stroke is that the backswing is compressed into a short wrist flick.
Smash
A player will typically execute a smash when the opponent has returned a ball that bounces too high
or too close to the net. It is nearly always done with a forehand stroke. Smashing uses rapid
acceleration to impart as much speed on the ball as possible so that the opponent cannot react in
time. The racket is generally perpendicular to the direction of the stroke. Because the speed is the
main aim of this shot, the spin on the ball is often minimal, although it can be applied as well. An
offensive table tennis player will think of a rally as a build-up to a winning smash. Smash is used
more often with penhold grip.
Defensive strokes
Push
The push (or "slice" in Asia) is usually used for keeping the point alive and creating offensive
opportunities. A push resembles a tennis slice: the racket cuts underneath the ball, imparting
backspin and causing the ball to float slowly to the other side of the table. A push can be difficult to
attack because the backspin on the ball causes it to drop toward the table upon striking the
opponent's racket. In order to attack a push, a player must usually loop (if the push is long) or flip (if
the push is short) the ball back over the net. Often, the best option for beginners is to simply push
the ball back again, resulting in pushing rallies. Against good players, it may be the worst option
because the opponent will counter with a loop, putting the first player in a defensive position.
Pushing can have advantages in some circumstances, such as when the opponent makes easy
mistakes.
Chop
A chop is the defensive, backspin counterpart to the offensive loop drive.[55] A chop is essentially a
bigger, heavier push, taken well back from the table. The racket face points primarily horizontally,
perhaps a little bit upward, and the direction of the stroke is straight down. The object of a defensive
chop is to match the topspin of the opponent's shot with backspin. A good chop will float nearly
horizontally back to the table, in some cases having so much backspin that the ball actually rises.
Such a chop can be extremely difficult to return due to its enormous amount of backspin. Some
defensive players can also impart no-spin or sidespin variations of the chop. Some famous choppers
include Joo Sae-hyuk and Wu Yang.
Block
A block is executed by simply placing the racket in front of the ball right after the ball bounces; thus,
the ball rebounds back toward the opponent with nearly as much energy as it came in with. This
requires precision, since the ball's spin, speed, and location all influence the correct angle of a block.
It is very possible for an opponent to execute a perfect loop, drive, or smash, only to have the
blocked shot come back just as fast. Due to the power involved in offensive strokes, often an
opponent simply cannot recover quickly enough to return the blocked shot, especially if the block is
aimed at an unexpected side of the table. Blocks almost always produce the same spin as was
received, many times topspin.
Lob
The defensive lob propels the ball about five metres in height, only to land on the opponent's side of
the table with great amounts of spin.[56] The stroke itself consists of lifting the ball to an enormous
height before it falls back to the opponent's side of the table. A lob can have nearly any kind of spin.
Though the opponent may smash the ball hard and fast, a good defensive lob could be more difficult
to return due to the unpredictability and heavy amounts of the spin on the ball.[56] Thus, though
backed off the table by tens of feet and running to reach the ball, a good defensive player can still
win the point using good lobs. The lob is used less frequently by professional players. A notable
exception is Michael Maze.

Effects of spin
Adding spin onto the ball causes major changes in table tennis gameplay. Although nearly every
stroke or serve creates some kind of spin, understanding the individual types of spin allows players
to defend against and use different spins effectively.[57]

4 phases in a backspin curve

Backspin
Backspin is where the bottom half of the ball is rotating away from the player, and is imparted by
striking the base of the ball with a downward movement.[57] At the professional level, backspin is
usually used defensively in order to keep the ball low.[58] Backspin is commonly employed in service
because it is harder to produce an offensive return, though at the professional level most people
serve sidespin with either backspin or topspin. Due to the initial lift of the ball, there is a limit on how
much speed with which one can hit the ball without missing the opponent's side of the table.
However, backspin also makes it harder for the opponent to return the ball with great speed because
of the required angular precision of the return. Alterations are frequently made to regulations
regarding equipment in an effort to maintain a balance between defensive and offensive spin
choices.[citation needed] It is actually possible to smash with backspin offensively, but only on high balls that
are close to the net.

4 phases in a topspin curve

Topspin
The topspin stroke has a smaller influence on the first part of the ball-curve. Like the backspin
stroke, however, the axis of spin remains roughly perpendicular to the trajectory of the ball thus
allowing for the Magnus effect to dictate the subsequent curvature. After the apex of the curve, the
ball dips downwards as it approaches the opposing side, before bouncing. On the bounce, the
topspin will accelerate the ball, much in the same way that a wheel which is already spinning would
accelerate upon making contact with the ground. When the opponent attempts to return the ball, the
topspin causes the ball to jump upwards and the opponent is forced to compensate for the topspin
by adjusting the angle of his or her racket. This is known as "closing the racket".
The speed limitation of the topspin stroke is minor compared to the backspin stroke. This stroke is
the predominant technique used in professional competition because it gives the opponent less time
to respond. In table tennis topspin is regarded as an offensive technique due to increased ball
speed, lower bio-mechanical efficiency and the pressure that it puts on the opponent by reducing
reaction time. (It is possible to play defensive topspin-lobs from far behind the table, but only highly
skilled players use this stroke with any tactical efficiency.) Topspin is the least common type of spin
to be found in service at the professional level, simply because it is much easier to attack a top-spin
ball that is not moving at high speed.
Sidespin
This type of spin is predominantly employed during service, wherein the contact angle of the racket
can be more easily varied. Unlike the two aforementioned techniques, sidespin causes the ball to
spin on an axis which is vertical, rather than horizontal. The axis of rotation is still roughly
perpendicular to the trajectory of the ball. In this circumstance, the Magnus effect will still dictate the
curvature of the ball to some degree. Another difference is that unlike backspin and topspin, sidespin
will have relatively very little effect on the bounce of the ball, much in the same way that a spinning
top would not travel left or right if its axis of rotation were exactly vertical. This makes sidespin a
useful weapon in service, because it is less easily recognized when bouncing, and the ball "loses"
less spin on the bounce. Sidespin can also be employed in offensive rally strokes, often from a
greater distance, as an adjunct to topspin or backspin. This stroke is sometimes referred to as a
"hook". The hook can even be used in some extreme cases to circumvent the net when away from
the table.
Corkspin
Players employ this type of spin almost exclusively when serving, but at the professional level, it is
also used from time to time in the lob. Unlike any of the techniques mentioned above, corkspin (or
"drill-spin") has the axis of spin relatively parallel to the ball's trajectory, so that the Magnus
effect has little or no effect on the trajectory of a cork-spun ball: upon bouncing, the ball will dart right
or left (according to the direction of the spin), severely complicating the return. In theory this type of
spin produces the most obnoxious effects, but it is less strategically practical than sidespin or
backspin, because of the limitations that it imposes upon the opponent during their return. Aside
from the initial direction change when bouncing, unless it goes out of reach, the opponent can
counter with either topspin or backspin. A backspin stroke is similar in the fact that the corkspin
stroke has a lower maximum velocity, simply due to the contact angle of the racket when producing
the stroke. To impart a spin on the ball which is parallel to its trajectory, the racket must be swung
more or less perpendicular to the trajectory of the ball, greatly limiting the forward momentum that
the racket transfers to the ball. Corkspin is almost always mixed with another variety of spin, since
alone, it is not only less effective but also harder to produce.
GOVERNANCE
Main category: Table tennis organizations
Founded in 1926, the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) is the worldwide governing body
for table tennis, which maintains an international ranking system in addition to organizing events like
the World Table Tennis Championships.[13] In 2007, the governance for table tennis for persons with a
disability was transferred from the International Paralympic Committee to the ITTF.[80]
On many continents, there is a governing body responsible for table tennis on that continent. For
example, the European Table Tennis Union (ETTU) is the governing body responsible for table
tennis in Europe.[81] There are also national bodies and other local authorities responsible for the
sport, such as USA Table Tennis (USATT), which is the national governing body for table tennis in
the United States.[