When Did Size Of Ping Pong Change

By Chris Barrett

Updated July 25, 2014 — 5.36am

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A revolutionary change is well-nigh to exist felt by the globe's all-time table tennis players and ultimately in dwelling amusement rooms, backyards and garages the earth over.

The days of the apprehensive ping pong ball as we know information technology are numbered, with its major competition swansong existence held at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow over the adjacent xi days.

David Powell is part of Australia's 10-person table tennis squad. — David Powell is part of Australia's ten-person tabular array tennis team. Credit:Getty Images

Subsequently more than a century of use the traditional celluloid ball is, much similar the pre-digital motility picture, beingness consigned to the scrapheap past the International Tabular array Tennis Federation and replaced by a plastic version.

The new product is also seamless, but the same is unlikely to be said for its introduction to the sport on September 1 with plenty of consternation nearly how the new ball, which is more than firm, bounces higher and generates less spin, could impact the game.

The celluloid table tennis ball has been in use since 1900. — The celluloid table tennis brawl has been in use since 1900. Credit:Reuters

"It will exist a contentious bespeak at to the lowest degree for the first few months I would think," said Commonwealth of australia's team managing director in Glasgow, Scott Houston, a former professional player. "Just the players will have to suit - they've got no pick."

The Australians, who begin the men's and women's teams events on Thursday at Glasgow's Scotstoun Sports Campus, are focused on challenging for medals in Scotland just accept an eye towards the near time to come when the new ball will become mandatory in all international competition.

Celluloid assurance had replaced rubber and cork ones in 1900 and the ITTF shake-up has come about due to the decline in the manufacturing of raw celluloid and condom concerns. Lite a match side by side to a table tennis ball and you've got yourself a miniature flame thrower.

"Information technology was running out on a worldwide level and then they are not able to produce that type of brawl long-term," Houston said. "The other outcome with a celluloid ball is it'due south quite combustible in transport so if it's cargo on a flight and anything happened there could exist a serious fire. It hasn't happened only it could.

"Our team here at least we haven't had any sessions at all with the new ball (in Glasgow) but one time this competition is finished I dare say they'll move straight into practising with the new ball, because that's what they'll be using at forthcoming events."

They include the upcoming men'south and women's World Loving cup and the world junior championships, which should provide an immediate read on only how serious a development this is for the sport.

Table lawn tennis has non been without landmark changes over the past xv years. The scoring arrangement was altered in 2001 from first to 21 with five serves each to commencement to 11 with two serves each, and a year earlier the diameter of the ball was increased from 38mm to 40mm to better television viewing.

Then, in 2008 the ITTF banned the speed gluing of racquets - a tactic to increase speed and spin - and elsewhere the service rule was updated so that the brawl has to be in visibility at all times.

The ball change had been foreshadowed and manufacturers take been furiously trying to fine-tune the new version.

"The initial samples that the different companies were putting out were quite poor in quality, they were breaking easily and questions were being raised about the roundness of the ball," Houston said.

"Since the sample have developed, though, they've been quite good and the feedback from the players is they feel it won't exist besides much different.

"If anyone there will probably be a flake less spin, which will mean that rallies may increment in length.

"In theory if in that location's less spin on the brawl, then information technology should exist easier to return and if it's easier to return so the rallies should exist longer. So the aerobic chapters of the athletes may need to increase a little, and they might need to alter their training."

Nonetheless, Houston hopes the cat and mouse game between the ITTF and equipment suppliers can eventually restore the game equally closely as possible to the status quo.

"What unremarkably happens is that once one change comes in the equipment catches upward, then I dare say that within a year or so they would probably discover some way to increase the elasticity of the rubbers on the racquets and so it will generate more spin," he said.

For at present, though, the 10 Australians in Glasgow - the men's team are grouped with Malaysia, St Lucia and Zambia in qualifying, and the women are in a pool with Scotland and Guyana - are soaking up the farewell of a friend and foe that has made endless visits over the internet, and endured 114 years of punishment.

They are part of a pocket-sized simply pregnant chapter in tabular array tennis history, and are aiming to conductor the old ball into retirement with a smash.