Table tennis, also known as ping pong, is a popular table sport in which players use paddles to hit a lightweight polymer ball onto a central net. The standard size of a table tennis ball is 1.57 inches (40 mm) in diameter and 4.94 inches (125.6 mm) in circumference. The mass of a ping pong ball is 0.095 ounces (or 2.7 grams). In the past 20 years, there have been two significant changes to table tennis balls.
In 2000, the size of the ball was increased from 38 mm to 40 mm to make it more attractive to spectators. The bigger ball is slower and spins less, which should mean longer rallies, although this has not been proven. Before 2000, the standard size was 38 mm. The International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) had the idea of changing the size of the ball to make the sport easier for spectators, especially for those who watch it on television. To make it easier to see and more exciting for spectators, they increased the size of the ball from 38 mm to 40 mm. This was a major breakthrough in the history of table tennis that introduced new technologies and machinery for the production of balls. Most of the ping pong balls in the world are manufactured by Double Happiness from Shanghai (China), a country where table tennis is practically a religion.
Some of the standard table tennis brands include DHS (China), Nittaku (Japan), Butterfly (Japan), Xushaofa (China), Franklin Sports, and STIGA. The ITTF (International Table Tennis Federation) allows balls with celluloid and without celluloid. To differentiate between them, manufacturers label their balls “40+” as an easy way to tell players that they use plastic balls instead of celluloid balls. When I watch competitive table tennis, it seems to have a frantic pace that doesn't seem to stop from start to finish. There are several different strokes played in table tennis, but a smash is considered to be one of the most advanced. Table tennis balls come in different colors such as white, orange, blue or green.
White balls are official tournament balls and go well with blue or green tables, while orange balls are used for casual games, as they are easier to see in most scenarios. Ping pong balls float ridiculously, so you'll have to gently push it into the water with a spoon to make sure it's completely submerged. Once the dent has come out, remove it with the spoon and let it dry on a towel. Table tennis is an exciting sport that requires skill and precision.
Knowing the standard size of a table tennis ball is essential for any player who wants to compete at a high level. With its ever-changing rules and regulations, understanding how to play this game can be challenging but also rewarding.
