Last Updated on June 19, 2024 by Alex Horscroft
Want some fun table tennis facts? You’ve come to the right place! Here, I have compiled 25, many of which you likely don’t know about.
1. The origin of table tennis dates back to the 1890s. It was created by David Foster as an indoor version of lawn tennis for winter when conditions prevented play.
2. It took almost 100 years since its inception for table tennis to debut at the Olympics. It first appeared at the Seoul Olympics in 1988.
3. In an era known as Ping Pong Diplomacy, the sport eased tensions between China and the United States. High-profile matches between the two nations took place and Chairman Mao invited the US players on an all-expense paid trip to the country.
4. In a strange move in 1930, the Soviet Union banned table tennis as they feared it damaged the eyes. The ban has since been lifted.
5. Due to the breadth of talent in China, many Chinese-born players migrate to other nations where it is easier to secure a spot to compete. Since debuting at the Olympics, just 38 players have represented China. Yet over 124 Chinese-born players have played on behalf of other countries.
6. Table tennis balls have undergone two changes over the years. The first mainstream ball was 38 mm, this was enlarged to 40 mm in 2000, but the bigger move occurred in 2014. This saw the old celluloid material switched out for plastic. Being slower and less spinny, it took some getting used to.
7. There is a plethora of table tennis rubbers to choose from. There are four types: inverted, short pips, long pips, and antispin, as well as 16,000 unique rubbers.
8. Originally, table tennis games were commonly first to 21 points, best of 3 games. However, this has since switched to first to 11, best of 5 games.
9. The International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) is the global governing body of table tennis. It was founded in 1926.
10. Although the terms are often used synonymously, table tennis and ping pong are different sports. Table tennis is the sport you know and love, and while ping pong is very similar, it uses hard spongeless rackets, often featuring cork and sandpaper, making it slower and more one-dimensional.
11. China has dominated success at the Olympics since 1996. Across all events, they have snatched up 30 gold medals, leaving just 2 for other countries.
12. Although you might not think it, table tennis is an excellent calorie burner. You can burn anywhere from around 300 to 450 calories per hour depending on the intensity of your play.
13. Table tennis has been hailed as one of the healthiest sports, this is in part, due to famous Doctor Daniel Amen who heavily endorses it, claiming table tennis is the “World’s best brain sport.”
14. Table tennis paddles can be mighty expensive. High-end rackets can cost anywhere from $150 to $500.
15. The longest table tennis rally ever recorded was almost 12 hours long
16. Under the official regulations, a rule comes into play after 10 minutes to hasten the end of the game. This is known as the expedite system. It sees each player serve only once, and if the receiver makes 13 successful returns, they win the point.
17. Table tennis is one of the fastest racket sports. For smashes, the ball speed can exceed 70 mph.
18. There are many service rules that casual players are not aware of. These include the requirements to throw the ball up 16 cm and from an open palm.
19. You cannot wear white while playing table tennis as your opponent will find the ball too difficult to track. The only exception is if you are using an orange ball, but hardly anyone does!
20. The most ball strikes in one minute total 249 – that’s over four per second!
21. Table tennis goes by many names, these include ping pong, whiff whaff, and flim flam.
22. A regular game of table tennis takes around 20-30 minutes to complete.
23. Top players can impart heavy spin on the ball totaling 9000 RPM.
24. According to the ITTF, table tennis is the most popular racket sport worldwide and ranks second among all sports in terms of participation. In excess of 10 million players compete at tournaments yearly.
25. You can hit the ball backward toward your own side of the table if the spin brings it onto your opponent’s side. This makes it almost impossible to return.
Find these table tennis facts enlightening? Why not check out the rest of my website? I cover all things table tennis from equipment to coaching advice.
I've been playing table tennis since the age of 14 and have competed against some of the top players in England. While I love playing, I also really enjoy coaching too!
Blade: Butterfly Timo Boll ALC | Rubbers: Nittaku Fastarc G-1