Table Tennis

Table tennis is a game for two players (singles) or four (doubles) and is normally played indoors Rackets something called "bats" or "paddles" are used to hit a small light back and forth across a table divided by a low net. It is agreed that table tennis originated as a sport in Britain in 1880's, where it was played among the upper-class as an after-dinner parlor game, commonly known as "whiff-whaff".A row of books was to be stood up along the center of the table as a net, two more books served as a racket and were to continuously hit a golf-ball from one end of the table to the other. Later, table tennis was played with paddles made of cigar box lids and balls made of champagne corks. The popularity of table tennis game led the game manufacturers to sell the equipment commercially. Early rackets were often pieces of· parchment stretched upon the frame. and the sound generated in play lay gave the game in its first nickname "whiff-whaff' and Ping-Pong. A number of sources indicate that the game was first brought to the attention of "Hamley's" of Reagent Street under the name of "Gossima". The name ping-pong was in wide used before British manufacturer J.Jaques and Son Ltd trademarked it in 1907. The name ping-pong then came to be used for the game played by the rather expensive Jaqueses equipment with other manufacturer calling it table tennis.

History

The following dates mark the significant event.

• 1901-James Gibb a British enthusiast of table tennis discovered novelty celluloid balls on his trip in the U.S. -E.C. Goode invented the modern version of the racket by fixing a sheet of pimpled or stippled rubber to the wooden blade. -Table tennis tournament was being organized and books of table tennis were being written.

• 1902-Table tennis was banned in Russia because the rulers at that time believed that playing the game had adverse effects on the player's eyesight.

• 1921-Table Tennis Association was founded in Britain.

• 1926-International Table Tennis Federation was found.

• 1933-United States Table Tennis Association now called USA Table Tennis was formed.

• 1950's - Racket that used a rubber sheet combines with an underlying sponge layer changed the gāme dramatically, introducing greater spin and speed. Britain manufacturer S.W Hancock Ltd. The use of speed glue increases the spin and speed even further resulting in changes to the equipment to slow the game down.

• 1988-Table Tennis was introduced as an Olympic Sports.

• 2000-International Table Tennis Federation instituted general rules changes making table tennis is more viable as a televised spectators sport.

E quipment

Ball

the ball is 2.7gram, 40mm diameter ball.

-The ball is made of a high bouncing air-filled celluloid similar to plastic material colored white or orange.

-The ball is faster to see on green or blue table.

-Stars on the ball indicates the quality of the ball.

-3 stars indicate quality and use in official competition.

Table

Table-Is 2.7, (9 ft.) long wide of (5 ft.) with a Masonite type of hard board. Playing surface is divided into halves by a 6-inch net. Table surface must be green of blue color.

Racket

Racket-The wooden portion of the racket is so called blade, 85% natural wood, common wood type include balsa, Limba, and cypress or Hanoki in Japan. 6.5 inch long and 6 inches wide.

A. Grip and racket control

Grip and racket control - Holding the rackets determines how you play the game. Two basic grips are recommended.

1.Shakehands grip - this is popular used worldwide. It gives you the best forehand and backhand. This grip looks much you're shaking hands with the paddles, by placing your hands with the paddles, by placing your thumb toward the lower part of the paddle for your forehand stroke and your first finger around the top of the grip on your backhand stroke.

2. Penhold grip-are generally favored by the eastern world players, predominantly Chinese, Japanese, and Korean player. This is similar to holding a pen between the thumb and forefinger. Curl your hand around the paddle grip placing your forefinger on to the top of the grip against the base of the paddle and your thumb wrapped under the grip to meet the tip of your forefinger. This gives you the best forehand but weak backhand. You can use this grip if you have quick feet. Using this grip only one side of the racket is used for all shots.

   B. Stance and Footwork

   Proper stance and footwork in serving or receiving are just as important in learning table tennis as they are in tennis, badminton, or any other sports skills that requires a constantly alert player.

   Stance (Positioning)

   1. The playing elbows mark the midpoint between the forehand and the backhand. You should keep your elbow playing near the center of the table.

   2.If your opponent moves left, you have to move to the right to cover the angle to our right.

   Footwork

   1. Always keep you weight in balls of your feet.

   2. Be bouncy. Bounce slightly on your feet between shots.

   3. Always move left or right instant the other player is committed to his shot.

   Service

   1.Topspin Serves. With eight a forehand or backhand stroke, the ball is put into play by projecting it upward from the flat freehand. As the ball and the racket, which is swung forward and upward meets descending it, and the racket face is close (facing upward form the tabletop and net).

   2. Backspin Serves. The ball tucked with a downward, forward motion of the racket. The racket is open (facing upward from the tabletop and net).

   Shots

   1. Push Shots - the basic defensive shots.

   a. Meet the ball as it touches the table and gently hit it back over the net with the racket.

   b. The racket can be turned to whether a forehand or backhand stroke.

   2. Forehand/Backhand drive

   a. The ball is hit preferably on the rising part of the bounce.

   b. Hold the racket with your thumb supporting the blade and snap the wrists at contract.

   3. Forehand/Backhand chop - primarily a defensive stroke.

   a. The racket is a little backward (open). The stroke starts from nearly shoulder height, chest height for a backward chop and end at about waist.

   4. Smash shots - it is used on a higher than the net bounce, the higher the better. It is high straight forward and downward without the spin on the opponent's court. This is an offensive stroke. Always put weight behind the smash.

   The game - shall be won by the player or pair first scoring 11 points unless either players or pairs have scored 10 points. In this situation, the winner shall be the player or pair first scoring 2 points than the opposing player.

   A good service

   a. Service ball begin with the ball resting on the freehand, which shall be stationary, open and flat with the fingers together, and the thumb is free.

   b. The ball and the racket shall be above the level of playing surface and behind the end line of the server's court.

   c. The ball shall be released vertically upward without imparting spin so that it rises at least 6 inches height after leaving the palm of the hand.

   d. The ball is falling; the ball shall be strike so that it touches first its court before it is passed over or around the net assembly to touch directly the receiver's court.

   e. If doubles, the point of contact of the ball with the playing surface shall be the server's right-hand court and receiver's right-hand court.

   f. In attempting to serve, a player who fails to strike the ball while it is in play shall loss a point

   A good return

   The ball shall be struck so that it passes directly over or around the net and its support and touches the opponent's court.

   A point

   Unless the rally is a let, a player shall score a point.

   a. If the opponent failed to make a good service.

   b. If the opponent's failed to make a good return.

   c. If the opponents obstruct the ball.

   d. If the opponent's or anything he wars or carries, touches the net.

   e. If the opponent's free hand and touching the playing area.

   f. If the opponent's strikes the ball twice successively.

   g. In doubles, if the opponent's strikes the ball out of sequence established by the first server.

   h. If the umpire assesses a penalty point to the player.

   The order to play

   a. Singles, the server shall first make a good service, the receiver shall then make a good return, thereafter, the server and the receiver alternately shall make a good return.

   b. In doubles, the server shall first make a good service, the receiver shall make a good return, the partner of the server shall then make a good return and thereafter alternate in that sequence shall make a good return.

   A let

   The rally shall be let:

   a. If in the service, the ball is passing over the net assembly, touches it.

   b. If the service is delivered and the opinion of the umpire, the receiving player is not ready. provided than neither the receiving nor the partner attempts to strike the ball.

   c. If it is interrupted to correct an error in the order of service, receiving or ends.

   d. If the condition of play is disturbed in a way by which, in the opening of the umpire is likely to affect the outcome of the rally.

   The choice of ends and service

   a. The choice of ends and the right to serve or receive first in the game shall be decided by a toss.

   b. Let shall be decide the choice ends and right to serve or receive first in a match and the winner may choose to serve or receive first or start at a particular end.

   c. When one player has chosen to serve or receive or start a particular end, the other player shall have the other choice.

   d. After two points the receiver shall become a server and vice versa until the end of the game.

e. In doubles, at each change of service the previous receiver shall become the server and the partner of the previous server shall become receiver.

f. The player serving first in the game shall receive first in the next game of the match.

Duties and Responsibilities of the Umpire

a. Informs the players the rules of the game.

b. Starts the game by tossing a coin or putting the ball under the table for the players to choose.

c. Decides on any questions regarding rules interpretation.

d. Disqualifies players for misbehavior.

e. Announces the score after each play.

f. Calls out faults or violation.

Note:In officiating table tennis, the voice of the umpire should be loud and clear.

The Scorer

a. Keeps the score sheets ass the game progress.

b. Follows the decisions of the umpire.