Table tennis, a descendant of tennis, originated in England as a parlour game in the 1880s. In some circles, the sport was an indoor option to lawn tennis and as such was often called “miniature” tennis. Ping-pong became another alternative name. The early equipment was often handmade. The sport was introduced to the countries of the Far East, as well as Australia, around the dawning of the twentieth century. The rules of the game were not codified until the 1920s, just before the creation of the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF). The ITTF now has almost 200 members and with more than 40 million players worldwide table tennis has the largest player-base of any sport. The Chinese have been the most dominant players for the last forty-five years.

Table tennis shows that sport and politics can mix. In April 1971, the United States table tennis team was in Japan for the world championships. Whilst there, members of the team were invited to tour China by their Chinese counterparts. As a result, the US table tennis players became the first group of Americans to visit the People’s Republic of China since its creation in 1949. At a specially convened banquet, Chou En-lai, the Chinese Premier at the time, said of the visiting delegation, “You have opened a new chapter in the relations of the American and Chinese people". This visit, which started the thawing process in Sino-American relations, led to the coining of the term “ping-pong diplomacy”. A year later President Richard Nixon made his history-making visit to China.

Table tennis became an Olympic sport in Seoul in 1988, without ever being a demonstration sport. Since 1988, China has won 16 of the 20 gold medals awarded, including all five in both the women’s singles and the men’s doubles. Perhaps the greatest Olympic player has been Deng Yaping who won each of the women’s singles and women’s doubles twice. Her doubles partner, Qiao Hong, finished second in one of those singles titles and third in the other.

There are four table tennis competitions: men’s singles and teams and women’s singles and teams at the Olympics.

All events follow a knockout (single elimination) format. For singles each match consists of the best four out seven games to at least 11 points, where the winner must win by at least two points. Players have two serves in a row, except when the points score reaches 10 all, after which the serve alternates each point at the end of each set the players will swap sides.

There is a one minute break between games when players change ends, however, if both players are ready in less than a minute, play resumes. Each player is also allowed to take one 1-minute timeout per match. If the player who calls the timeout wishes to resume play in less than one minute, then play resumes.

Table tennis is played on a table 2.74m long, 1.525m wide and 76cm high. The net is 15.25cm above the table. Table tennis balls are made from celluloid – a rigid material which makes the balls bouncy. They weigh approximately 2.5g.

There are two kinds of rackets – consistent with the two styles of play. Athletes who use the handshake grip (the western style of play for a game of power and strength) use a racket with rubber on both sides.

Athletes who use the penhold grip use rackets with rubber usually on only one side.

All rackets must be black on one side and red on the other. Where there is only rubber on one side, the other side must be painted the opposite to the colour of the rubber.

Australia has been represented at every Games but never won a table tennis medal in Olympic competition.

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