Once you play table tennis, you might think it is not a real sport. You are just standing in one place with a racket, trying to hit the ball. The truth is, this is not table tennis, and it never was.
This is why some people might claim that table tennis is not a sport – but table tennis is one of the ten most played sports in the world. Table tennis is a high-speed sport, with barely seconds to react. Table tennis players work on their footwork and skills for years.
It is a game of spin, utilizing different rubbers to control the ball's spin. The table tennis you see in the streets barely resembles the real sport. Professional players like Hana Goda started playing at the age of three and reached the top 30 by the time she was sixteen. The truth is that professionals do not play table tennis standing still. If they do, they will lose drastically.
The point is that table tennis is not the casual game you play in the streets in the Middle East as my sister's mother-in-law thought—it is the game you see on TV. However, achieving the level you see on TV is not easy.
Do you think it is easy to move your legs for every shot? Or master the technique behind every shot? No, that is far from the truth. It is extremely difficult to move in seconds.
The mental focus and technical precision required at the highest level of table tennis competition
Images courtesy of STTF Instagram
The Technical Complexity
Table tennis involves forehand spins and topspins, backhand spins and topspins, backspin, different spins in each serve, or even a combination of them. The players you see on TV have mastered all of these.
My Personal Training Experience
It took me months to master just one or two shots, even while training every day with one of the best coaches in Saudi Arabia. I used to play for 3-5 hours per day, six days a week, and I am still nowhere near Fan Zhendong's level.
"The dedication required is immense – every day, every shot, every movement must be perfect."
Training to be a professional player does not stop there. Players spend countless hours on physical development and footwork through daily drills, strength training, and jogging. We spend hours stretching each week to make our bodies more flexible.
If our hand is even a little stiff, it can mess up our entire day. If we do not sleep well, we will not perform well.
Official Recognition
- •Olympic sport since 1988
- •Governed by International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF)
- •National sport of China
- •One of the ten most played sports worldwide
Athletic Demands
- •Split-second reaction times
- •Complex spin control mastery
- •Intensive footwork training
- •Mental strategy and focus
Table tennis has been an Olympic sport since 1988 and has its own international federation that governs all tournaments and sets the official rules: the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF). No non-legitimate sport would have its own federation or be played in the Olympics.
Table tennis is also the national sport of China. In conclusion, it is recognized as a sport worldwide. Table tennis embodies the essential characteristics of athleticism, skill, and strategy that define true sportsmanship.
Breaking the Stereotypes
Table tennis might not be your typical sport, as there is a huge difference between a casual player and a professional. Simply put, it breaks the stereotypes. Professional table tennis players are not just born with a "natural skill" like soccer players.
While talent can help someone improve faster, anyone can make it with enough training. People might claim that sports like soccer or basketball require a higher level of fitness, but that is not the whole story.
The Fitness Reality
The movements in table tennis are different from other sports. Thus, players require a very high level of fitness. However, they do not need to run the entire pitch, but they have to move in seconds.
The explosive power, agility, and endurance required are just as demanding as any traditional sport.
Table tennis might not be recognized as a "legit" sport by everyone, but it is still something that people of all levels enjoy. The feeling of adrenaline rushing through your body from the speed of the game is irreplaceable.
It's time to change the narrative about table tennis in the Middle East.
This sport deserves the same respect, recognition, and support as any other professional athletic endeavor.
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