Venue: ExCeL
Dates: Saturday 28 July – Wednesday 8 August
Gold medals up for grabs: 4
Athletes: 172 (86 men, 86 women)
Other names for Table Tennis include ‘Ping Pong’, ‘Whiff Waff’ and ‘Flim Flam’, reflecting the sound of the ball being struck and bouncing off the table
Table Tennis: a history of the sport
Table Tennis began as an after-dinner game, played by upper-class English families. It is now the world’s biggest participation sport, with 40 million competitive players.
Table Tennis has come a long way from its beginnings in the 19th century, when cigar boxes and carved champagne corks were used as bats and balls. Today’s top players use high-tech rackets, hitting the ball at speeds of more than 100mph (160kph).
Table Tennis at the Games
Table Tennis entered the Olympic programme at Seoul 1988, and has featured in every Games since. The sport was an instant hit with television viewers, especially in Asia, where most of the world's top players are based.
China has dominated Olympic Table Tennis, but challengers are emerging from other countries, including Great Britain and Northern Ireland, in time for London 2012.
How to play
Table tennis, as its name suggests, is based on the same idea as tennis. In place of a court, it is played on a table that measures 2.74 metres (9 feet) by 1.525m (5ft), with a 15.25cm (6 inch) net.
Players hit the ball across the table, to bounce on the other side of the net. They score a point if their opponent is unable to get the ball back in play, or allows it to bounce more than once.
At the Olympic Games, matches are played over a maximum of seven games, with 11 points required to win a game (with a lead of two points). Team events matches are played at the best of five matches (four singles and one doubles). Players and teams progress through knock out rounds in four events: women’s singles, men’s singles, women’s team and men’s team.
Jargon buster
Penholder: A type of grip where the racket is held as if it were a pen.
Chop: A downward stroke producing backspin.
Loop: A long upward stroke that puts heavy topspin on the ball, making it dip and bounce higher.
Push: A gentle stroke that is not designed to win the point.
Shakehands: A very popular type of grip that gives a player the best balance of forehand and backhand shots.
Get involved
Table Tennis is fast, fun and easy to learn. If you want to start playing, the chances are there is a club or league near you. Find out more by contacting your home nation’s federation
