1. Table Tennis Equipment:

o The game is played on a rectangular table measuring 2.74 meters (9 feet) in length and 1.53 meters (5 feet) in width. The table is made of fibrewood and coated with dark, glossy paint, giving it a matte finish.

o A two-centimetre-thick line runs along the border of the table, marking the playing surface.

o The table is divided into two halves by a net suspended using two poles attached to the table. The net stands at a height of 15.25 centimeters.

o Players use a bat (commonly referred to as a “racquet” or “paddle”) made primarily of wood. The bat has a rubber surface on both sides (black and red) to apply and negate spin on the ball.

o The table tennis ball is spherical, weighs about 2.7 grams, and has a diameter of around 40 millimetres (40.025 to 40.075 mm).

2. How to Play Table Tennis?

o A table tennis match begins with a coin toss. The winner chooses whether to serve first, receive the serve, or select the side of the table they’d like to play from.

o The server holds the ball with an open palm, tosses it up, and strikes it so that it bounces first on their side of the table before crossing the net to the opponent’s side.

o The receiver returns the ball by hitting it over the net into the opponent’s half of the table.

o If a player attempts to return the ball before it bounces, a foul is called.

o In singles competition, the server can serve to any part of the table on the opposite end. In doubles, the service must start from the right half of table and travel diagonally across the table.

3. Scoring System:

• A game is played to 11 points, and a match is generally the best of three or five or sometimes seven games.

• Each side alternates serving two points at a time.

• After a tie at 10-10 (“deuce”), service alternates at every point.

• After deuce, the player or side securing a lead of 2 points is judged as the winner.