Are Ping Pong and Table Tennis The Same Thing? | Complete Guide

Are Ping Pong and Table Tennis The Same Thing? NO Ping Pong and Table Tennis are two different games that have a lot of differences, but many people don’t know the differences. Ping Pong is played on a table with one player per side, while Table Tennis can be played by up to four players at once. Ping Pong uses paddles and balls, while Table Tennis uses rackets and balls. The best way to tell if you’re playing Ping Pong or Table Tennis is to ask yourself: “Is this game played with bats?” If yes, then it’s ping pong; if no, it’s table tennis!

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Are Ping Pong and Table Tennis The Same Thing?

The basic difference between ping pong and table tennis is that the playing surfaces of ping pong tables are usually smooth, while table tennis tables have a textured surface. According to the rules of both games, if a ball hits the playing surface of ping pong tables with an angle less than 45 degrees, it is considered inbounds; however, in table tennis, this rule does not apply. Table Tennis players use different rackets with different surface areas, while ping pong rackets are similar to tennis rackets.

Here Is the Main Difference Between table tennis & ping pong:

Ping Pong

Table Tennis

Trade Mark
no
yes
Amount of spin
Very High
Little
Speed
Very High
Medium Slow
Type of Service
Many
Little
Different Type of Paddles
Yes
No
POint per Match
21 then 11
15
Olympics Sport
yes
no
World Championship
yes
yes
Flexible Rules
no
yes
Grand Slam Players
5
0

Difference Between Ping Pong and Table Tennis:

Here is the main Difference Between both Games:

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Ping Pong

Table Tennis

Ping Pong matches are played on round tables with no height restrictions and can be between 38 and 60 inches in diameter.
Table Tennis matches are played on rectangular tables less than 91 cm wide, with a net overhanging 6 mm at its center.
Players score points by hitting the ball onto their opponents’ half of the table so that they get to 11 first.
A match is won when a player or team wins at least four games and has a lead of at least two games over the opponent
A ping pong (ping-pong) table is a game table, typically with an upstanding net dividing the table into playing areas for two or four players.
Table tennis is played by millions of recreational and competitive amateur players and its rules are simple enough to allow variations of play that can accommodate almost any skill level.
ping pong is usually played with a large racket and a heavier celluloid or plastic ball.
The sport of table tennis is played with a paddle and small plastic ball
You can hit the ball so that it hits below the waistline of your opponent in table tennis
there are no such rules for this in ping pong
As opposed to ping pong where players aren’t restricted by any special rules besides those mentioned
you must keep one foot on each side of a “dividing line” that goes down the center of the court when playing table tennis

Who is the champion Of Ping Pong?

Years

Ping Pong of champion

2011
Maxim shmyrev
2013
Maxim shmyrev
2014
Maxim shmyrev
2015
Andrew Baggley
2016
Andrew Baggley
2017
yan weiaho
2018
Wang Shibo
2019
Andrew Baggley

Who is the champion of Table Tennis?

Years
Table Tennis of champion
2011
Werner Schlager
2017
Zhang Jike
2016
Zhang Jike
2014
Wang Liqin
2013
Wang Liqin
2015
Wang Hao
2019
Ma Long
2019
Ma Long
2018
Ma Long

What is Ping Pong Game?

Ping pong (or table tennis) is a sport where two or four players hit a lightweight ball back and forth with rackets. The game takes place on a hard table divided by a net.

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A point is scored when a player fails to return the ball within the rules. Play is fast and demands quick reactions. Spinning the ball alters its trajectory and limits an opponent’s options, giving the hitter a great advantage.

What Is Table Tennis Game?

Table tennis is a sport wherein two or four players hit a lightweight, hollow ball back and forth using table tennis rackets. The game takes place on a hard table divided by a net. Except for the initial serve, players must allow the ball to bounce once on their side of the table before hitting it with their racket to return it over the net.

Points are scored when one’s opponent fails to return the ball within the rules. Play is fast and demands quick reactions. A skilled player can impart several varieties of spin during play which makes the game even more interesting.

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Why is table tennis called ping pong?

There is a lot of speculation about how table tennis got its name. One theory is that it’s called ping pong because, in the 1920s, a British company named Parker Brothers who made “ping-pong” games for homes and bars licensed the name from Chinese manufacturer Mexico. This explanation makes sense when you consider that this was around the time when table tennis first became popular in Europe and America after being introduced to England by British army officers stationed in China during World War II.

Another possible origin story comes from an Englishman, Ernest Sadler, who was working as a translator at a trade show in New York City back in 1901 where he noticed what looked like two tables lined up next to each other with paddles and a ball between them. Sadler was so intrigued by the game being played that he bought one of the tables, started to get really good at it, and chose to name it after the sound made when you hit the ball.

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Ping Pong VS Table Tennis:

  • Equipment:

In ping pong, all players use the same type of paddle, which is 5-ply sandpaper. As a result, these paddles are the reason why a ping pong game has a slower speed. They provide little spin and prevent players from generating as much power which has the effect of slowing the game down.

Another point about the rackets is that they don’t have rubber on both sides. Instead, you should find 2 laminated layers. Also, sandpaper rackets are cheaper than typical table tennis rackets.

With table tennis, players can get customize their paddles considerably. There are many types of rubber and blades to choose from. As a result, each player has the right to pick the combination to build a racket that suits their style.

  • Rule:

On the surface, they are very similar, and even watching a game they can look identical. The differences come in a few different rules that we’ll cover now.

The first is that points aren’t counted the same way. For example, the rules of table tennis state that they should play the best of 11 points over 7 games.

This isn’t the case in the rules of ping pong however where they play to 15 points best of 3 with a death point at 14. However, in the semi-finals and the final, it’s best of 5 sets instead. There’s also a double-point ball, which grants the serving player 2 points if won and 1 to the receiving player.

  • Scoring:

The Score ends at 11 Points with a difference of at least 2 points in table tennis. The score ends at 15.

  • Playing Style:

Ping Pong Uses sandpaper which provides medium to slow speed and medium spin. Table tennis has a faster pace and a higher amount of spin.

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Conclusion:

Ping pong and table tennis are not the same things. Table Tennis is a sport played on a table with paddles and balls that require players to use their hands, while ping-pong can be played anywhere using any type of ball or object as long as it bounces off the ground. The two games have different rulesets and even scoring systems so they really should not be considered interchangeable. But there’s no reason why you can’t play either one!

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