Questions tagged [table-tennis]
Questions about the sport of table tennis. Also referred to by many as "ping pong".
104
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Is it legal in racket sports to pass the racket from one hand to the other?
Can you hit with different hands during the same
point?
set?
match?
Also, is racket throwing authorised?
29
votes
3
answers
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views
Why are there different stars on table tennis balls?
What determines the rating of a table tennis ball? I know there are several different star ratings. The ratings go from 1 star to 4 star. I think there maybe a 5 star ball.
What factors determine the ...
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22
votes
3
answers
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Red and black side of table tennis raquet
There's a red and a black side on a table tennis raquet.
Does the color of the side have any significance? E.g. is the black side suppose to be used for the forehand and the red side used for the ...
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20
votes
1
answer
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views
Why would you use oil on your table tennis raquets?
I often see vendors selling oil for table tennis racquets.
Why would one want to use oil on their table tennis racquets?
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17
votes
1
answer
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If the ball hits your opponent, do you get a point?
I saw this question: "Can my body touch the table in table tennis?", but I am wondering something far more sinister: if I hit my opponent with the ball, and it doesn't touch the table, do I get a ...
- 273
17
votes
1
answer
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views
Why do these players rub their hands on the table near the net?
I am watching the 2012 Men's Table Tennis championship between Timo Boll (DEU.) and Ma Long (CHN.). I've never really watched a professional table tennis game, and one thing that I am seeing these two ...
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16
votes
1
answer
13k
views
Are consecutive let (net services) allowed in Table tennis?
Is a point awarded to my opponent if I serve two lets in a row?
Or can I serve as many let serve as I want until one of my services is legal or illegal?
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votes
2
answers
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Can my body touch the table in table tennis?
Suppose I am about to hit a "overhead", then my stomach touches the edge of the table... Is this allowed? Can I "dive" on the table?
user610
14
votes
2
answers
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Is table tennis based on tennis?
According to Wikipedia, tennis was first played sometime between 1859 and 1865, and table tennis was first played in the 1880s.
I tried to do some research online, but couldn't find an answer. Was ...
hoangnnm
14
votes
3
answers
3k
views
Stomping after a table tennis serve or follow through?
I often see a lot of veterans stomp their feet after hitting the ball.
Why would one want to stomp after hitting the ball?
Is this purely a stylistic issue? Or does it improve ones follow-through?
...
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13
votes
1
answer
43k
views
Can I use my hand to hit the ball on table tennis?
I've read in somebody's comment in another question:
USA Table Tennis rules:
2.5.7 A player strikes the ball if s/he
touches it in play with his/her racket, held in the hand, or with
his/her ...
- 233
13
votes
1
answer
5k
views
What do the cards in table tennis mean?
I saw in an Olympics table tennis match a Chinese athlete being given a red card. I think she lost the point but I'm not too sure.
So why would would some receive a red/yellow card in table tennis ...
- 283
12
votes
5
answers
15k
views
Does being good at table-tennis help when playing tennis
I'm a sport fan, playing ( at amateur level ) numerous sports. 10 years ago, I was quite good at playing table-tennis, participated in several amateur competitions. Even now I often play with my ...
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12
votes
1
answer
6k
views
Table Tennis exercises by yourself and without a table?
Is it possible to improve your table tennis skills by yourself without a table as well?
If so are there exercises that one could do to improve your table tennis skills by yourself?
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10
votes
1
answer
592
views
Is hitting the side of the table legal?
In table tennis, on the rare occasion when the ball makes it over the net but hits the side of the table rather than on top (which is pretty hard to counter), Is this a valid point?
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10
votes
1
answer
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Doubles rules in table tennis
I curious about what the official rules are for playing doubles in table tennis. It seems like every time I play, someone has a different set of rules from what I've played before.
For instance:
Do ...
- 455
10
votes
1
answer
2k
views
How much can heat/weather affect a table tennis table?
I live in Southern California, where the heat can reach up to 100 degrees (F) easily in the summer. I only have room for a table in the garage, and am a little worried about how the heat might affect ...
- 201
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votes
1
answer
1k
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Changing Rubber on a Ping Pong Paddle
I have a ping pong paddle with one side that has sandpaper grip and another paddle with a nicer rubber that unfortunately is broken.
I want to put the rubber from the broken paddle on the paddle ...
- 337
9
votes
2
answers
35k
views
What happens when ball touches net during serving?
I found some information on rules, but I never found a clear answer to what should be done when a served ball touches the net.
Is it point for opponent, or should the serve be redone?
If redone - will ...
user282
9
votes
6
answers
3k
views
Double Handed Racket Usage
Is it allowed to play a racket game, like badminton or squash or tennis or table tennis, both left or right handed at the same time?
So, if the ball or shuttle is played towards the backhand side, ...
- 1,978
9
votes
2
answers
670
views
The position of the net in table tennis
Are there any rules indicating how the net should be placed in table tennis?
Should it touch the top?
Should it touch the table?
I'm not totally sure. It always seems that we just put it in the ...
- 3,327
9
votes
3
answers
14k
views
Countering heavy top or bottom spin in table tennis?
What options are there when your opponent serves you very heavy top spin?
Often, just a slight push forces the ball to hit the ceiling.
On the flip side, is it possible to use the same strategies ...
- 3,327
9
votes
2
answers
3k
views
2014 New Table Tennis ball material rules for ITTF
I was reading on reddit that there's a new ball being used for table tennis. Is this true?
Are there new rules in place regarding a new ball? If so what caused the change to of rules?
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8
votes
3
answers
2k
views
What are some techniques for masking a ping pong serve?
There are several ways to serve a ping pong ball. I have noticed that some serves are far more obvious to read/understand than others.
For example, if a player contacts the top of the ball during the ...
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8
votes
1
answer
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views
Can you throw a table tennis paddle?
I was playing with a friend (neither of us are particularly good) and on a shot that hit the net and went over my friend threw his paddle and managed to hit the ball back on my side and score.
I can'...
- 265
8
votes
2
answers
767
views
Receiving rules on a serve in table tennis
Does the reciever need to wait for the ball to bounce on the table before hitting it back to the opponent?
My question refers to both singles and doubles.
8
votes
1
answer
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In which racket sports can you hit the shuttle (or ball) with the head?
In this video, Roger Federer hits the ball with his head. I know that in tennis, it is allowed to hit the ball with the head. And AFAIK, it's also allowed in table tennis.
Can you confirm that? And ...
8
votes
2
answers
372
views
What should I consider when buying a table tennis racquet?
I have an old paddle from my college days from over 10 years ago. It's starting to show some wear and tear most noticeably on the rubber (scratches, scuffs, etc.) due to poor maintenance and storage ...
user107
8
votes
1
answer
3k
views
Are there "Lets" in table tennis?
In tennis if I serve the ball and it goes into the opposite service box, but hits the net on the way, it is a let.
Is there such a thing as a let in table tennis?
user610
8
votes
2
answers
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views
Who serves when in table tennis?
I have never understood who serves first, and when it switches, in table tennis.
Could anyone explain it?
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8
votes
3
answers
3k
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Interpreting table tennis racket stats
I have always been confused by the stats system that is used to rate table tennis rackets. Some companies use a three dimensional scale as: "speed", "control", "spin"; while other companies use other ...
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8
votes
1
answer
2k
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Are there drills or methods for improving reaction time in table tennis or overall?
Reaction time is critical to many sports. My sport in particular is table tennis.
Are there drills or methods that would allow you to improve reaction time? Or is it just a basis of pure repetition ...
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8
votes
2
answers
662
views
What is it called when 2 players make a full run around a table in table tennis?
In modern table tennis it is a common practice to acting the fool when the match is almost over. I.e. players used to flip the side and play a little bit awkward analogue of table tennis when you need ...
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7
votes
1
answer
244
views
Are you allowed to change paddles mid game?
In table tennis, can you change paddles mid game to adjust to the opponents play style?
- 373
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4
answers
2k
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Is this custom table tennis ladder fair?
I am going to run/administer a table tennis ladder in the department and have been reading a bit on different ladder systems. I have read the suggestions on a relevant question but, with all due ...
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6
votes
3
answers
2k
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Table tennis league scoring
At the office, we'd like to start a table tennis league with perpetual standings. That is, as each match is completed, the scores should be logged and individual player ratings should be adjusted ...
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6
votes
3
answers
789
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What is the difference between ping pong and table tennis?
I'm reading on the internet that ping pong and table tennis are different things and one is considered a sport and the other is not. I honestly don't know if people are just making jokes or if the ...
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2
answers
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Is it possible to lose points while playing table tennis?
Can you be deducted points for conduct during a table tennis match?
Also, if you are deducted points are you allowed a negative score?
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6
votes
3
answers
3k
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How do I make my table tennis paddle's rubber less sticky?
I've only been playing table tennis/ping-pong for about ~3 months now at work. Some of these guys are brutal when it comes to spin. While I have gotten a lot better at handling top/bottom spin, I am ...
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votes
1
answer
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In singles table tennis, is it considered bad sportsmanship to intentionally serve deceptively, even if following the ITTF rules?
According to the ITTF Handbook, the rule about diagonal serves only applies to doubles:
As the ball is falling the server shall strike it so that it touches first his or her court and then, touches ...
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votes
1
answer
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views
Is it legal for a table tennis ball to deflect off a person?
The other day the ping pong ball bounced to person 1's side of the table, bounced off his chest, then surprisingly bounced back on person 2's side of the table. Is that legal play or a foul?
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votes
2
answers
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Why do table tennis players inspect each other's rackets?
I was reading up on some table tennis rules, and there seems to be a lot of regulations regarding the racket/paddle/bat. One of the regulations is that the players inspect each other's rackets before ...
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votes
1
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Are Table Tennis Bats Supposed to Be Pimpled or Even?
I searched prior to posting this question and I found this one Red and black side of table tennis raquet that didn't quite answer my question.
I want to buy a cheap pair of bats and I saw these ones ...
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votes
2
answers
777
views
Cleaning table tennis rubbers
I just bought a new table tennis paddle and I've bought a new cleaner, but I forgot to purchase one of those sponges.
Is there any problem with using a plain microfiber cloth to clean my table tennis ...
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6
votes
1
answer
897
views
The effect of various rubbers on table tennis ball
How does different rubbers effect the table tennis ball?
What is the purpose of pimpled rubber,or bouncy rubber, or tacky rubber?
How does thickness of rubber come into play?
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5
votes
1
answer
192
views
Can my free hand touch the table in table tennis?
Can my free hand touch the table when hitting a ball in play in table tennis?
5
votes
3
answers
1k
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Table tennis change of hand
Can I change my playing hand anytime in the game? What is the specific rule for hand change in table tennis? Is it allowed to play using one paddle by holding it any of the hands?
5
votes
1
answer
2k
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What are the rules if the receiver isn't ready for the serve in table tennis?
I cannot find mention of anything about the receiver being ready or not when the serve takes place.
I have known a lot of players that hustle the speed of the game somewhat, repeatedly serving when ...
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votes
2
answers
2k
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Effective way to learn spin in table tennis
I am 25 and I started playing table tennis 6 months ago. Since then I've played almost every weekday for at least 20 minutes. Currently I can play the standard shots. But I am not winning matches ...
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votes
1
answer
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Overtime rules in table tennis and in doubles
In table tennis, when both players are at 10. Who serves first? Does one pick who goes first? Or does it go to the first person that reached 10?
Also, in doubles table tennis how do those rules ...
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