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Olympic Table Tennis

travoholic | Sep 13, 2009 |

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Table tennis (also called ping-pong by some) was first introduced as an Olympic sport at the Seoul Games in 1988. It has grown in popularity since then and this sport that gets virtually no attention outside of the Olympics in most of the world finds itself on TV and with packed stands.

Olympic table tennis rules are the same as the standard international rules set out by the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF). Points are awarded whenever a player cannot hit the ball back over the net. The first player to reach 11 points wins the game as long as they win by two points. Players must win four games (best of seven) to win the match.

Table tennis at the Olympics has been dominated over the years by China and other Asian nations. It is a popular sport worldwide with many people playing it recreationally. In Asia it is taken far more seriously and countries like China and South Korea have become formidable opponents.

Players can't throw the racket in order to hit the ball and they are not allowed to touch the table with their free hand (but they are allowed to touch the table with their racket). Players are allowed to switch their racket hand during the point but this is not a common occurrence. It is also ok for a player to hit the ball with their fingers as long as they are on the racket. They are also not allowed to obstruct the ball in any way.

There is more to a table tennis racket than meets the eye. Different types of rubber coating can be applied to the racket to allow the player to execute different types of shots. It is required that one side is black and the other red so that the opponent can tell which side of the bat is being used and what effect it is having.

During the early rounds of the Olympics, three table tennis matches take place at once in courts that are side by side. The crowd sits around all three courts and can choose which match they want to watch. The skill is unmatched and the speed the players are able to move at is remarkable. This makes Olympic table tennis one of the most interesting events at the Games.