Table tennis is becoming increasingly popular: ping-pong rackets are selling like hotcakes, even preschoolers are learning to play, and any online sports store, in turn, offers a wide variety of products for this sport.
After this table sport was born, the world began to call ordinary tennis table tennis to avoid confusion.
The history of the origin of table tennis is interesting. They say that one day some extravagant lover of this sport decided to set up a small court at home - right on the table. At first, such tennis was played with ordinary rackets and an ordinary heavy rubber ball. Soon special rules were invented for new game, and along with the rules, new accessories appeared.
Ping-pong rackets have become like miniature wooden spatulas, which are covered with pimply rubber pads on both sides. The ball also changed - it began to be made from celluloid, it became light - only 2.5 grams in weight.
Many people are wondering: why did table tennis come to be called ping pong? Perhaps the name simply echoes the sound of a celluloid ball hitting a table. Perhaps this name has something from Asian languages - after all, it was in Asian countries that this game became most widespread. According to experts, there is some truth in both explanations. The name “ping pong” was born when the English players, listening to the sounds of a bouncing ball, decided that it made just such a sound. Ping! - the ball sounds, bouncing off the racket, and pong! – bouncing off the table.
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Using rubber pads
For the first time, rackets were covered with rubber with pimples in 1902. This trick made it possible to hit curved balls. Sponge rubber appeared later - in 1930. Overlays made from such rubber diversified the game, allowing you to play both defensively and offensively.
The effect of table tennis on health
If you have not yet decided whether to use the services of an online sports store to purchase table tennis accessories, don’t hesitate! Ping pong is very interesting view a sport that has a very beneficial effect on the health of players. Regular training develops the hand, helps to concentrate, and has a positive effect on reaction and attention.
According to experts, table tennis activates mental activity. It has been observed that close observation of the ball and the desire to achieve good results - the right way achieve success in intellectual activities.
The Chinese are considered especially capable athletes. This phenomenon can most likely be explained by the enormous attention paid to this sport in this country. Here, ping-pong is taught almost from infancy. Six-year-old athletes participate in various competitions and amaze observers with their interesting techniques.
As you can see, table tennis has a lot of advantages, which means it’s time to start training!
Origin of the name
The exact origin of the word "tennis" is unknown, but historians make several assumptions. For example, there is a possibility that the name came from a game where 10 (English ten) participants participated, five on each side of the court. It can also be considered that “tennis” is a derivative of “tenez” (French - ‘to hold’). This phrase was often heard from the French during a retaliatory strike to an opponent.
Interesting facts about table tennis
- The name "ping pong" was patented by John Jaques. The idea came from the distinctive sound of a cork ball hitting the table and racket.
- England is officially considered to be the origin of table tennis.
- Before the invention of the celluloid ball, the cream of English society played ping-pong in evening dress, throwing champagne corks over a net.
- The famous attacking shot “topspin”, which added entertainment to table tennis, was invented in 1959.
- In 1988, table tennis entered the Olympic Games program.
- Playing table tennis uses more energy than, for example, playing volleyball.
- The average pace of play is 40-120 beats per minute. The men's record stands at 162 beats per minute, and the women's record is 148.
- When using strong hits, the ball can reach speeds of 180 km/h.
- The longest tournament match in ping pong lasted 143 hours and 36 minutes.
- Mao Zedong, Ronald Reagan and Fidel Castro loved to play table tennis.
Founding country of table tennis
Until now, it remains a mystery who actually is the real founder of this game. Some experts are sure that the game with a racket and ball appeared in England, others insist that it originated in Asia - in Japan or China. Nevertheless, Japanese and Chinese sports historians themselves deny such a statement.
England is considered to be the official homeland. In the 16th century, both France and England played the same entertaining game without any clear rules. The equipment used was a feather (later rubber) ball and rackets covered with strings (similar to those now used in tennis).
Initially they played directly on the floor, but after a while they began to play on two tables at a short distance from each other. Later the tables were pushed together and a stretched net appeared between them.
The game was fun and simple - without complex equipment. This led to the rapid growth in popularity of table tennis.
Improving uniforms and equipment
Modern table tennis is impossible without a hollow ball, plywood rackets with shortened handles and adherence to clear rules. In 1891, James Gibbs introduced a fundamentally new lightweight celluloid ball, and thanks to the engineering mind of E. K. Goode, the racket was reconstructed in 1902.
Chronology of development
In 1900, table tennis was officially recognized a separate species sports and in the same year the first competitions were held.
In 1901, the first ping pong tournament was held in India.
In 1926, the International Table Tennis Federation - ITTF - was created. The organization was headed by the famous English public figure Ivor Montagu. He was the head of the ITTF for over 40 years and made an invaluable contribution to the development of table tennis.
The first World Championship was held in 1927. Teams from Austria, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Germany, England, Sweden, Denmark and India took part in it. The champions were R. Jacobi among men and M. Mednyanskaya among women.
In 1958, the first European Championship and the African and Asian Championship took place.
The subsequent development of table tennis in the world made it possible for the ITTF to raise the issue of including ping pong in the program of the Summer Olympic Games. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) approved this sport and decided to include it in the program of the Summer Olympic Games in 1988.
Today, the International Table Tennis Federation includes more than 190 national associations from all countries of the world.
Table tennis in Russia
In Russia, table tennis began to be played in late XIX centuries - as entertainment for aristocrats.
In 1927, Ivor Montagu visited Russia as part of the British delegation. In the same year, the first city competitions were held in Moscow and St. Petersburg.
In the 1930s, mass sports such as volleyball and football became popular. Table tennis began to fade into the background. Firstly, there were not enough halls for playing ping pong, and secondly, accessories and equipment had to be made by hand.
A new heyday of the game came only after the end of the Great Patriotic War. In 1945, at the base Central House The pilots were provided with a room for playing ping-pong. Soon a sports section appeared under the Moscow Committee of Physical Culture and Sports. In 1951, the All-Union Committee for physical culture issued an order for the massive development of table tennis. Besides, educational institutions Various competitions between students began to be organized everywhere. Thus, table tennis received an impetus for development.
In 1994, the Russian women's team became the European champion, and in 2000 - medalists of the European Championship.
Table tennis today
Today, high-tech tables, rackets, balls, care products and comfortable sportswear for players are produced. The German company Kuka, in honor of the opening of a plant in China, held a demonstration competition with the participation of the legendary tennis player Timo Boll and its new creation - the KR Agilus robot.
Table tennis (ping pong) is an interesting and exciting sport. Interesting facts about him are discussed in this article.
1.The idea of creating ping pong came from one of the big game lovers. He reduced the size tennis court and placed it on the table. The sizes of rackets and ball were larger than now.
2. As for the birthplace of table tennis, there is no consensus on this matter. According to various sources, ping pong appeared in the USA, India or China in the 17th century.
3.The name “ping pong” was coined at the beginning of the 20th century because of the characteristic sound of the ball hitting the table and racket.
4.The first official table tennis competitions took place in 1900 in London. 300 players took part in the tournament.
5.The average pace of table tennis is 40-120 beats per minute, but can reach up to 150 beats.
6.The longest point competition was recorded at the World Championships in Prague in 1936. Then 2 tennis players continuously threw the ball to each other for almost 2 hours.
It is not known for certain how the word “tennis” appeared, but historians and linguists have several plausible options. For example, there is a possibility that previously 10 people played tennis, 5 people per team, and this is where the name came from, because in English “ten” means ten. Others claim that the name comes from the French word “tenez” - to hold.
Now let's talk about the most interesting facts from the world of ping pong:
1. Table tennis was invented after the advent of tennis. The playing field was moved to the table, rackets and balls were reduced in size.
2. Historians do not have reliable facts about the place where table tennis appeared. Various historical documents point to several countries, namely China, India and the United States.
3. Initially, this sport was called table tennis, and only in the 20th century it began to be called ping pong. 
4. The first major competition between professionals took place in 1900. About three hundred players from all over the world came to the competition in the capital of Great Britain.
5. There is a special type of tennis tables - all-weather. To create them, moisture-resistant and all-weather materials are used - great option for active recreation in the country or on the site of your house, and it is quite easy to purchase, for this you need to go to the website ukrbilliard.com.ua and order the desired model.
6. In 1936, at a competition in Prague, a world record was set for the duration of a point. The two athletes exchanged blows without a break for two hours.
7. In 1983, a record-breaking game was recorded; it lasted for 143 hours and 46 minutes.
8. During the game, the ball can accelerate to 170 km/h.
9. It would seem that in table tennis the playing space is very small, but despite this, a player can “run” about 7 kilometers during a match.
10. Numerous studies and tests have shown that ping-pong fans have excellent reactions, and the process of playing strengthens the athlete’s cardiovascular system.
11. Previously, when there were no celluloid balls familiar to everyone, athletes used an ordinary champagne cork, throwing it with rackets over a stretched net.
12. The most famous “top spin” shot, which definitely added fans and entertainment to ping pong, appeared only in 1959.
13. Since 1988, this sport has been included in the list of the Olympic Games.
14. Numerous studies have proven that playing ping-pong is more energy-consuming than volleyball and many other outdoor sports.
Table tennis was loved by many prominent historical figures such as Fidel Castro, Ronald Reagan and Mao Zedong.
15. Ping-pong is a very fast game - players deliver up to 150 hits in a minute.
Of course, over the course of its existence, ping pong has changed beyond recognition. Now there are special companies that produce gaming tables, balls, rackets, and sports uniforms. The Kuka company is one of the most famous in the world of table tennis. An interesting fact is that to open their branch in China, they invited the legendary athlete Timo Boyle and invited him to play with the robot KR Agilus, the game turned out to be very spectacular, its recordings can be found on YouTube.
1. How did it all start?
It is worth noting that on the walls of the Summer Palace in China today there are paintings from the Middle Ages, in which you can clearly see a game that strongly resembles ping-pong. Moreover, the Summer Palace is the residence of the emperors.
But in modern world The first table tennis competition took place in London in 1900. On a December day, a championship was held on the grounds of Westminster Abbey, in which more than 300 players took part. It is this fact that directly indicates the great popularity of this sport already at that time.
2. But you still have to run
According to scientists, an athlete must “run” from 4 to 7 km during one table tennis match. Therefore, it is not surprising that this sport is one of those that activate the cardiovascular system. All the same scientists calculated that when playing table tennis, an athlete spends more energy than, for example, in basketball.
But if you take into account that the rotation of a ping-pong ball can reach 170 revolutions per second, and it flies at speeds of up to 170 km/h, it becomes clear why players spend so much effort during a match.
3. The biggest
The longest game is considered to be between Warren-Veyar and Laise-Fiya. These couples spent 101 hours, 1 minute and 1 second on the site. The record was recorded in 1979 in the United States.
But still, another record, set by two amateurs, appeared in the Guinness Book of Records. Two men - Richard de Witt and Rick Bowling, in front of spectators, hit the ball over the net with various shots for 10 hours and 9 minutes, without making a single mistake. This achievement was also established in the USA, but a little later - in 1983.
The longest game between singles players lasted 143 hours and 46 minutes (from 30.05 to 04.06 1983).
4. How many titles can you earn in your career?
The most titled athlete in ping pong is Victor Barna (1911-1972). He has 15 world champion titles to his name. As for women, their most famous athlete is Maria Medyanski (1901-1979). She managed to win world championships 12 times.
A remarkable fact is that in 1958, the national table tennis championship in Jamaica was won by Jay Foster, who was only eight years old at that time.
5. Table tennis and health
It is not surprising that such an interesting and popular sport also brings benefits to people. So, thanks to ping pong, vision improves. The mechanics here are quite simple - the eyes, which must follow the moving ball, are constantly fixed on a dynamic object, due to which the eye muscles are trained, and therefore myopia and farsightedness are prevented.
It is thanks to these properties that many foreign ophthalmologists prescribe the game of table tennis as one of the ways to treat vision diseases. In particular, this applies to those who spend a lot of time in front of a computer monitor.
6. Assistant in cosmonaut training
It is noteworthy that table tennis on an ongoing basis used to prepare astronauts for flight. This is due to the fact that ping pong is a great activity for developing reactions. Moreover, table tennis is recommended for hockey goalkeepers, baseball players, and epee fencers. In other words, for those athletes where reaction and quick decision-making are especially important.
You should not refuse such exercises, even if you are not an athlete, since a quick reaction will help you in everyday life.
7. Table tennis or ping pong
Now this sport is called differently: some prefer the name table tennis, while others use only the phrase ping pong. Moreover, the second name of this sport appeared only in 1901 thanks to a combination of two words: “ping” is the sound that a ball makes when it hits a tennis player’s racket, and “pong” is the sound when it bounces off the table surface.