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Racquet sports are considered as the most beneficial workout activity as it includes full body movement. There are different types of racquet sports played around and in this article; we will discuss about how is table tennis different from other racquet sports?
Popular racquet sports games include table tennis, badminton, squash, and lawn tennis. The concept of the racquets is same for every racquet sport, that is; to hit the ball back and forth. The only big difference is the type of the racquet used and the playing arena. Let us have a detailed analysis of the difference between table tennis and other racquet sports.
Difference between table tennis and other racquet sports:
Table of Contents
What is Table Tennis?
Ping pong or table tennis is an indoor sport where two or four players try to hit a lightweight ball back and forth across a table using a small bat or paddle or racquet.
The game is played on a hard table divided by a net and the rules are somewhat similar to lawn tennis.
Table tennis equipment and kit-
- Ball:
The table tennis ball is a hollow sphere made of celluloid plastic weighing only 2.7 grams. As per the international rules (ITTF), it should be an ideal weight of the table tennis ball. Also, the ball has a diameter of 1.57 inches (40 millimeters).
- Table/court:
The International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) only allows wooden tables for competition matches, but other derivates are also allowed like concrete tables. The table is 9-feet (2.74m) long, 5-feet (1.525m) wide and 2.5-feet (76cm) high.
It is necessary for a table surface to be colored dark and matte uniformly. A net is placed in the middle of the table dividing it into two halves at 6-inches (15.25 cm) in height.
- Racquet/Paddle:
As per the norms, the table tennis racquet is composed of 85% natural wood. The wooden racquet is wrapped with rubber on both sides.
The blade aka the wooden portion of the racquet is composed of 5-7 plies of wood. But with advancement in technology, today, you can see players playing with paddles made from Kevlar, aluminum fiber, carbon fiber, glass fiber, and cork.
The average size of the paddle is 5.9-inches (15 cm) wide and 6.7-inches (17 cm) long. The ideal weight of a table tennis racquet is around 175-190 grams.
How is Table Tennis different from other Racquet Sports in terms of equipment?
Table Tennis vs. Other Racquet Sports:
Table tennis and other racquet sports are played using racquets but when it comes to the gameplay, the skill, motivation, tactics, reaction time, coordination/balance, and flexibility are all different.
Table tennis requires fast reaction time and flexibility whereas; other racquet sports like squash, lawn tennis, and badminton is more about endurance and motivation. However, these are the things applicable to every racquet sport but at different levels.
| BALL | COURT | RACQUET |
SURFACE |
|
| Lawn Tennis | 1. Diameter- 6.54–6.86 cm (2.57–2.70 inches)
2. Mass- 56.0–59.4 g (1.98–2.10 ounces) 3. Color- Optic Yellow |
1. Length- 78 feet (23.77 meters). 2. Width for singles matches- 27 feet (8.23 meters). 3. Width for doubles matches- 36 feet (10.97 meters). 4. The net divides the court in two halves and is 3.6 feet high. |
1. Weight- 245-340 g 2. Head Size- 94-120 in sq. 3. Length- 27-29 inches |
Clay court
Grass court Hard court Carpet court |
| Squash | 1. Diameter- 39.5-40mm
2. Mass- 23-25 g |
1. Length- 32 feet 2. Width- 21 feet 3. Height- 18.5 feet |
1. Length- 27 inches
2. Head size- 8.5 inch 3. Weight- 255 g |
Playing surfaces surrounded by four walls |
| Badminton | 1. Diameter- 54 mm
2. Mass- 4.75-5.50 g 3. Length- 70 mm |
1. Length- 44 feet 2. Width- 20 feet 3. The net divides the court in two halves and is 5.1 feet high. |
1. Length- 26 inches
2. Head size- indefinite 3. Weight- 95 g |
Not specified (mostly cemented or synthetic) |
How is Table Tennis different from other Racquet Sports in terms of rules?
Table Tennis Rules:
- A player is considered the winner when he/she wins four 11-pt sets.
- The service should be done in a way that the ball should first bounce from the server’s side then to the opposition side.
- Only one player will serve for the first five points.
- Two opponents can play the game. In doubles, 4 can play, 2 on each side.
Badminton Rules:
- A player is considered the winner when he/she wins two 21-pt sets.
- The players have to hit the shuttlecock before it bounces off the ground.
- The winner of the point is liable for the next serve.
- In Badminton also, 2 opponents can play the game. And in doubles, 4 can play, 2 on each side.
Lawn Tennis Rules:
- The player will only get one bounce to hit the ball to the other side.
- The best of three or best of five sets rule is applied.
- The player who wins six games wins the set.
- Lawn Tennis can be played against a single opponent or between 2 teams, each of 2 players.
Squash Rules:
- The match is played on the basis of best of three or best of five sets rule.
- A player is considered the winner when he/she wins 11-pt sets.
- The server continues to serve until he/she loses a rally.
- The rule of number of players remain same in squash also. It can be played by 2 players in singles and 4 players in doubles.
Conclusion
In conclusion, I would like to say that different racquet sport requires different skills and temperament. From the equipment to the style of play, table tennis is totally different from other racquet sports.
Well, different sport has different set of audience and the popularity of table tennis is growing rapidly. The reason table tennis can be considered as a leisure sport is that you can easily set up the arena in your house.
If you still have any questions regarding this, then we would love to answer your queries.