A fast indoor racquet sport played on a table with small paddles and a lightweight celluloid or plastic ball.
Origin and rules
Table tennis emerged in late 19th-century England as parlour entertainment among upper-class diners. Players stand at opposite ends of a hard table separated by a low net, returning a small lightweight ball using a paddle.
How it plays
Games are played to 11 points, won by two; matches are best of five or seven games. Players alternate two serves. The ball must bounce on each side. Heavy spin and quick reflexes define elite play.
Competition
The ITTF World Table Tennis Championships and the Olympic tournament are the top events. China has dominated since the 1980s, producing many of the sport’s greatest players. Table tennis has been Olympic since Seoul 1988.
Find more sports by letter
Table Tennis starts with T and ends with S. Browse other sports along the same letter.
Sports that contain a letter from "Table Tennis":