Table tennis

Table tennis

Table tennis at Liga Pro
Highest governing body	ITTF
First played	19th century, England[1][2]
Characteristics
Contact	No
Team members	Singles or doubles
Type	Racquet sport, indoor
Equipment	Poly, 40 mm (1.57 in), 2.7 g (0.095 oz)
Glossary	Glossary of table tennis
Presence
Olympic	Since 1988
Paralympic	Since inaugural 1960 Summer Paralympics

Table tennis (also known as ping-pong or whiff-whaff) is a racket sport derived from tennis but distinguished by its playing surface being atop a stationary table, rather than the court on which players stand. Either individually or in teams of two, players take alternating turns returning a light, hollow ball over the table's net onto the opposing half of the court using small rackets until they fail to do so, which results in a point for the opponent. Play is fast, requiring quick reaction and constant attention, and is characterized by an emphasis on spin, which can affect the ball's trajectory more than in other ball sports.

Owed to its small minimum playing area, its ability to be played indoors in all climates, and relative accessibility of equipment, table tennis is enjoyed worldwide not just as a competitive sport, but as a common recreational pastime among players of all levels and ages.

Table tennis has been an Olympic sport since 1988,^[3] with event categories in both men's and women's singles, and men's and women's teams since replacing doubles in 2008.

Table tennis is governed by the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF), founded in 1926, and specifies the official rules in the ITTF handbook.^[4] ITTF currently includes 226 member associations worldwide.^[5]