From the beginning of the two sports, there are no significant differences when it comes to ping pong vs table tennis. But players have different perceptions about these two sports. Table tennis is a competitive and serious sport, and table tennis is in the Olympics too.
On the other hand, the ping pong game has several variations. People also call it beer pong. You can play this sport socially and informally. People can also play this game with adjustments. So, is ping pong the same as table tennis- let’s find out in the article.
Ping Pong Vs Table Tennis: Basic
In the early days, both sports were the same. But now, they have a lot of differences. For example, ping pong now has world championships. And each year the world championship of ping pong is organized, but the table tennis world championship is organized once every two years.
There is a debate when it comes to table tennis vs ping pong. Table tennis players hate to call their game ping pong. They think that ping pong sounds childlike and frivolous. But the ping pong community loves to enjoy the game and get fun playing the game. But table tennis is called ping pong: why? Here are the reasons behind that.
Table Tennis Is Called Ping Pong: Why?
In 1901, John Jacques registered the game as “Ping pong.” The sport was invented in England, and later Parker brothers bought the rights to the sport. After that, the game was called “whiff whaff,” it was a funny name, though.
Both of the sports were the same before 2011. When it comes to amateur players, they play the game as a hobby. But professional players do like the name ping pong. They rather love to call the game table tennis. They compete at professional levels and train hard to get better.
Ping Pong Vs Table Tennis: Differences
In the last couple of years, there have been world championships of ping pong. The championship has been organized in England and hosted by Match Room enterprise. On the other hand, the ITFF, or International Table Tennis Federation, organizes the World Table Tennis Championship. So, there are differences between these two sports.
Here are some basic facts for your understanding.
| Table Tennis | Ping Pong | |
| Trademarked | No | Yes |
| Speed | Very High | Medium Slow |
| Amount of Spin | Very High | Little |
| Service Type | Many | Little |
| Paddle Typs | Yes | No |
| Olympic Sport | Yes | No |
| Points Per Match | 21, Now 11 | 15 |
| Flexible Rules | No | Yes |
| World Championship | Yes | Yes |
| World Champions Helds | Once in every Two Years | Every Year |
| Grand Slam Players | 5 | 0 |
The ping pong table size measures 9 feet long, 5 feet wide, and 2.5 feet high. There are also small tables for amateur players as well. On the other hand, the standard table tennis table size by ITTF is 274 x 152.5 x 76 cm, which is the same as a ping pong table.
Now, see the differences in different factors.
Equipment
Table tennis players use various equipment, such as rubber, pips-in, and pips-out. There is no limit when it comes to table tennis blades. On the other hand, ping pong players can only use sandpaper bats. You can use the best ping pong set, but the material will be made of sandpaper.
Rule
A single table tennis match lasts for 7 games. And each game consists of the best 11 points. So which player will get 11 points first, they will win the specific game. But the point difference must be 2, otherwise, the game will continue.
On the other hand, ping pong has 3 games, and each game consists of 15 points. But in the semi-finals and finals, there will be five sets. There is a unique rule that is called “double-point ball.” A player can use this once in every match, and it allows them to score 2 points while serving.
Scoring
In table tennis, players with 11 points with a 2 point difference will win the game. If the score lasts 10-10, a player must score 2 straight points. Otherwise, the game will continue. On the other hand, the ping pong game ends when a player scores 15. So unlike table tennis, a 15-14 score is a winning score.
Playing Style
Ping pong players can only use sandpaper bats, so the speed of the ball is slow, and the spin is medium. But, in table tennis, the pace is much faster, and the amount of spin is higher than in ping pong. When it comes to playing style, both games consist of defensive and offensive styles.
Service
There is a strict rule in table tennis. Players must serve the ball from the table’s baseline. Also, players need to throw the ball a minimum of six inches. But in ping pong games, players can hit the ball straight from the hand, and the ball can either bounce on the table or not.
Rundlauf:
Ping-Pong has multiple variations apart from the usual doubles and singles matches. One such variation is known as Rundlauf, which basically translates to ‘round the table.’ First originating in Germany, this variation of Ping-Pong is perfect for big groups so that everyone can enjoy the game at the same time.
Primarily, two teams form two different queues to play the game around the table – the game moves in an anti-clockwise direction.
The ball here is first served to any member of one team – from here onwards, each player gets to hit this ball while the game moves round the table in an anti-clockwise direction. Losing any point can lead to elimination from the match or even the loss of a player’s life – it depends on the rules that are being followed.
Although the game does originate in Germany, it has become pretty popular simply because so many more people can play at a time. No version of table tennis has a group form.
Ping Pong Vs Table Tennis: Equipments
Ping-pong players need to use the same sandpaper bats in a match. The bats are called sandpaper paddles. The paddle is a 5 ply racket which gives the paddle a lot of control. The paddle has no rubbers on it. Instead of that, it has 2 laminated layers. You should know that a sandpaper paddle costs less than a table tennis racket.
On the other hand, professional table tennis players do not use cheap equipment. They use rackets that have rubber on both sides. A professional table tennis player needs control, speed, and power. So, choosing the right rubber and blade is important. You can use the best ping pong balls if you want to play for fun.
Further Words
Now you have a pretty good idea about ping pong vs table tennis. Though the game is similar, there are many differences in many factors. Table tennis is a much more serious and competitive game, and ping pong is for fun. However, there are tournaments of ping pong held in different regions.
Please let us know in the comment section below if you still have any confusion or doubts.
Thank you.
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