OOAK Table Tennis Forum

I think table tennis is a bit boring to play, and even more boring to watch since the ball change. Do you guys agree or am I totally wrong?
In what timeperiod do you think the best table tennis was played? I myself watch a lot of games from around 2009-2012.

PLAYING BALL ON THE SKATING-RINK IS A SHEER FOLLY.

the obvious reason for lack of attractiveness of table tennis is the fancy coverings on the table's TOPBOARD, that are being made mostly of plastic materials skiddy and glossy.
The big tennis game is never staged on icy courts, while ping pong game still played on ice-like surfaces. It is a sheer folly to play balls on icy court, fancy skiddy surface.

/Be happy/

Probably when the Swedes, Japanese and Chinese rivalled each other in the 1990s. Look at the massive crowd in WTTC back then. It could probably rival the number in Tennis grand final.

Respectfully disagree with the first part, and the second when watched in person. I prefer watching people I help coach to playing, it's very rewarding watching them improve and grow as people not just players. On televsion, I still think and have said this before on this forum, TV does not cover the sport well. A high camera angle, straight behind the table flattens the ball flight and doesn't relay the true skills in the game of spin and speed balanced by touch and control. Where's the motion tracking, the explanations of spin, the intricacy of disguise. There is plenty of time in between points and towel downs at pro level to allow tv to replay points. Anyone can pick up a bat and hit a ball back and forth on a table in a park, a club, a holiday venue and keep the ball going. And that gives the perception the sport is easy to play, so when you see the top players in the world failing to get a serve back it can be perceived as poor quality sport by those that don't understand spin. Perception plays a huge part.

As for the beset time period, I enjoyed playing as a child on mdf cardboard stretched over a dining room table with books laid on end which acted as a net, and I enjoy playing on a table now in a purpose built hall. So define "best" table tennis. Is it the situation, the drama, the power, the long rallies, the heavy spin, the atmosphere, the pressure and importance of the match, the match up of styles? The same is true of pro players today and in the past. Different times, different equipment, different.... everything evolves or it dies.

Everything is also relative. I enjoy table tennis today, I don't long for the past. Life's too short.

I actually think it's better now than it ever was, and the ball change made it better. Rallies are longer, you don't get so many third ball kills and unforced errors (like there were right before they got rid of the 38mm ball). People actually attack serves, and you get people playing close to the table rather than wailing away at the ball at long distance. The Japanese women are the ones to watch, actually - talk about nail-biting matches.

Iskandar

The finishing layer of plastic we found to be detrimental for the sport.


Fancy skiddy-shiny table to detract a lot from the game spectacularity. COF < 0.2

You wonder what this guy is even talking about sometimes...

Iskandar

It's pretty obvious. Igor has given us a heads up on secrete testing for the new proposed size of ball compared to the current one. You can clearly see the larger ball in the picture which will make table tennis a much better experience for the TV audience as well as allowing advertising to be placed on the new larger ball. Win win situation, more money from advertising, more money from tv companies.

Of course as most of us here aren't professionals and the ittf doesn't represent social players, we will of course be allowed to decide for ourselves which ball we want to use, unless our national associations adopt the new 'beach ball' in which case we have only the illusion of choice if we want to compete at any level. For anyone new to the forum check out Adam Sahara's blogs on the ittf and national associations section of this forum. Ahh happy spicey discussion days

Oh. How could I fail to see that ball??? It's HUGE!! And hiding in plain sight too..

Iskandar

You must admit, that's one freaking huge ball.



Iskandar