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ITTF - Table Tennis

Whether you call it ping-pong or table tennis, it is a sport that millions of people around the world play each year. Most people might think of it as a recreational game but the sport has a huge following, particularly in Asia, but also in Europe and other parts of the world.

The exact beginning of the sport is mainly unknown. There has been documentation as early as the late 1800s in England, but the sport did not start to become popular around the world until the early 1900s. This was when the official name of the sport was changed from ping-pong to table tennis. This was due to copyright issues with the game company Parker Brothers, who owned the rights to the name and game of Ping-Pong.

The International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) is the governing body of the sport. In the same fashion as tennis, the ITTF sanctions a Pro Tour that makes stops all over the globe. The top professional men and women players participate in singles and doubles, at over 15 tournaments a year including Brazil, China, Korea, Egypt, Germany, Japan, Greece, and even a stop in Chicago. Each tournament features prize money and ranking points, which can qualify a player for the year end Pro Tour Finals featuring both the top 16 men and women.


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