Table Tennis / Ping-Pong
Table tennis, popularly called ping-pong, is a fast indoor sport played on a table divided by a low net, in which two (or four) players hit a light ball back and forth with small paddles.
Questions you may have include:
- What is table tennis?
- What are the basic rules?
- Why is it so fast?
Equipment
The game uses a rectangular table with a net across the middle, small paddles (also called rackets or bats) covered in rubber, and a very light hollow plastic ball.
Basic play and scoring
A point begins with a serve that must bounce once on each side of the net. Players then rally, each letting the ball bounce once on their side before returning it. Under modern rules, games are played to 11 points and must be won by 2, with the serve alternating every 2 points.
Why it is fast
Because the ball is so light and the table so small, exchanges happen in a fraction of a second. Players add spin with the rubber paddle surface, which curves the ball and changes how it bounces — making both speed and spin central to the game’s skill.
Summary
Table tennis is played on a netted table with paddles and a light ball, scoring points in games to 11 (win by 2), with serves alternating every 2 points. Its small court, light ball, and heavy use of spin make it one of the fastest racket sports.