Ping Pong 101
Table Tennis Competition
Dates: July 24 – August 6, 2021
Venue: Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium, Japan
Number of Events: 5
Where to watch TV – Schedule & Results: https://olympics.com/tokyo-2020/en/where-to-watch-olympic-games-live
The 2020 Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo are set to go 12 months later than originally scheduled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Table tennis became an Olympic sport in 1998 at the Olympic Games in Seoul. After 33 years, table tennis at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics will feature 172 players (86 male and 86 female) representing over 50 countries.
At this Olympic Games, table tennis consists of 5 medal events:
Men’s and Women’s Singles
Men’s and Women’s Teams
Mixed doubles (debuting for the first time)
China is the defending Olympic champions in men’s & women’s singles and teams and it would be the team to beat in Tokyo. Would it happen? China has been a powerhouse of table tennis athletes with 28 gold medals in the Olympic Games.
EQUIPMENT & TECHNICAL ETIQUETTE
The table is 9 feet long, 5 feet wide and 30 inches high
The racket must have a red and one black side covering
The ball must be white and 40+ mm in diameter and it can travel over 90 miles per hour! That’s fast!
Opponents have the right to inspect each other’s rackets
Since the ball is white, players cannot wear white shirts during competition
Intense matches where players create fast rallies on the table – incredible touch, spin, and power!
The table cannot be touched
There are many different styles – players adjust their playing style against their opponent – lots of hand-eye coordination, footwork, and reflexes in action!
You will notice several various unique service techniques as a competitive advantage where the spin is disguised to stay ahead of the game or to set up a desired strategy
For the service, the ball must rest on an open hand palm. It must be tossed nearly vertically at least 6 inches and struck the ball as it comes down. The ball must bounce on the server’s side and then on the opponent’s side of the table crossing over the net. If the ball touches the net during the serve, a “let” is called and the server must repeat the serve.
Games are played to 11 points, must win with a two-point difference if the score is tied at 10 points each. Players alternate serves every 2 points. If the game is tied at 10-10, players alternate service after each point.
Quick and intense action between players and games – needless to say, the drama and emotions that the Olympic Games bring!
Top players to watch at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics include:
Ma Long (China) (Gold medal Rio 2016)
Fan Zhendong (China)
Xu Xin (China)
Tomakazu Harimoto (Japan)
Mima Ito (Japan)
Quadri Aruna (Nigeria)
Jun Mizutani (Japan)
Timo Boll (Germany)
Dimitrij Ovcharobv (Germany)
Hugo Calderano (Brazil)
Kanak Jha (USA)
Lily Zhang (USA)
The 2020 Table Tennis USA Olympic Team for Tokyo includes:
MEN’S PLAYERS
Kanak Jha
Nikhil Kumar
Xin Zhou
Yijun Feng
Head Coach: Stefan Feth
WOMEN’S PLAYERS
Lily Zhang
Juan Liu
Huiajing Wang
Chen Wang
Head Coach: Gao Jun
Good luck Team USA!
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