

When the ball is falling, you may then strike the ball, either forehand or backhand. When serving, you must throw the ball upward at least higher than the net. Firstly, the ball should be held flat in your palm.


There are service rules that you need to know. If the score is 10:10, the game continues until one of the players gets a 2-point lead. The first player to get to 11 points is the winner. A table tennis match is often played to 5 games, but you can have any number of games you like. Table tennis was introduced to the Olympic Games in 1988.įun facts: The ITFF has listed all the former names of table tennis, including whiff whaff, indoor tennis, the royal game and ping pong! What are the basic rules of table tennis?īasically the rules of playing table tennis are straightforward and easy to understand. The development of table tennis into the modern game we know started in 1926, when the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) was founded, and the first official world championship for table tennis was held. It was an indoor version of the popular game lawn tennis during the winter, and was played by the English upper classes on their dining tables for leisure. The exact origins of table tennis are unknown, but the game was likely first invented in Victorian England in the 19th century. While playing table tennis improves your coordination and reflexes, the match can be so intense that a ball can travel as fast as 100mph, no wonder table tennis is recognised as “the world’s best brain sports”! Read more: 10 things to know about Pilates It can be played indoors or outdoors, as a competitive game, or a recreational activity for all ages and abilities. The game usually takes place on a rectangular table that is divided into two by a net. Table tennis, also known as ping pong, is a sport in which two or four players hit a lightweight plastic ball back and forth using a small bat. Expertise shared by MySomerton’s table tennis coach Gabriel Saunders
