Table tennis, also known as ping pong, is a sport in which two or four players hit a lightweight ball

back and forth across a table using a small, round bat. The game takes place on a hard table divided
by a net. Except for the initial serve, players must allow a ball played toward them only one bounce
on their side of the table and must return it so that it bounces on the opposite side. Points are scored
when a player fails to return the ball within the rules. Play is fast and demands quick reactions.
Spinning the ball alters its trajectory and limits an opponent's options, giving the hitter a great
advantage. When doing so the hitter has a better chance of scoring if the spin is successful.
Table tennis is governed by the worldwide organization International Table Tennis Federation,
founded in 1926. ITTF currently includes 220 member associations. The table tennis official rules are
specified in the ITTF handbook. Table tennis has been an Olympic sport since 1988, with several
event categories. In particular, from 1988 until 2004, these were: men's singles, women's singles,
men's doubles and women's doubles. Since 2008, a team event has been played instead of the
doubles.

History

Parker Brothers Ping-Pong game

The sport originated in Victorian England, where it was played among the upper-class as an afterdinner parlour game.It had several different names, including 'whiff-whaff', and it has been
suggested that makeshift versions of the game were developed by British military officers in India or
South Africa, who brought it back with them. A row of books was stood up along the center of the
table as a net, two more books served as rackets and were used to continuously hit a golf-ball. The
name "ping-pong" was in wide use before British manufacturer J. Jaques & Son Ltd trademarked it
in 1901. The name "ping-pong" then came to describe the game played using the rather expensive
Jaques's equipment, with other manufacturers calling it table tennis. A similar situation arose in the
United States, whereJaques sold the rights to the "ping-pong" name to Parker Brothers. Parker
Brothers then enforced their trademark for the term in the 1920s making the various associations
change their names to "table tennis" instead of the more common, but trademarked, term.

The next major innovation was by James W. Gibb, a British enthusiast of table tennis, who
discovered novelty celluloid balls on a trip to the US in 1901 and found them to be ideal for the
game. This was followed by E.C. Goode who, in 1901, invented the modern version of the racket by
fixing a sheet of pimpled, or stippled, rubber to the wooden blade. Table tennis was growing in
popularity by 1901 to the extent that tournaments were being organized, books being written on the
subject, and an unofficial world championship was held in 1902.
In 1921, the Table Tennis Association was founded in Britain, and the International Table Tennis
Federation (ITTF) followed in 1926. London hosted the first official World Championships in 1926. In
1933, the United States Table Tennis Association, now called USA Table Tennis, was formed.
In the 1930s, Edgar Snow commented in Red Star Over China that the Communist forces in
the Chinese Civil War had a "passion for the English game of table tennis" which he found
"bizarre" On the other hand, popularity of the sport waned in 1930s Soviet Union, partly because of
promotion of team and military sports, and partly because of a theory that the game had adverse
health effects. In the 1950s, paddles that used a rubber sheet combined with an underlying sponge
layer changed the game dramatically, introducing greater spin and speed. These were introduced to
Britain by sports goods manufacturer S.W. Hancock Ltd. The use of speed glue increased the spin
and speed even further, resulting in changes to the equipment to "slow the game down". Table tennis
was introduced as an Olympic sport at the Olympics in 1988.

Rule changes[edit]
After the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, the ITTF instituted several rule changes that were aimed at
making table tennis more viable as a televised spectator sport First, the older 38 mm (1.50 in) balls
were officially replaced by 40 mm (1.57 in) balls in October 2000. This increased the ball's air
resistance and effectively slowed down the game. By that time, players had begun increasing the
thickness of the fast sponge layer on their paddles, which made the game excessively fast and
difficult to watch on television. A few months later, the ITTF changed from a 21-point to an 11-point
scoring system (and the serve rotation was reduced from five points to two), effective in September
2001. This was intended to make games more fast-paced and exciting. The ITTF also changed the
rules on service to prevent a player from hiding the ball during service, in order to increase the
average length of rallies and to reduce the server's advantage, effective in 2002. ] In order for the
opponent to have time in order to realize a serve is taking place, the ball must be tossed a minimum
of 16 cm in the air. The ITTF states that all events after July 2014 are played with a new poly
material ball

Gameplay
Starting a game

According to ITTF rule 2.13.1, the first service is decided by lot, normally a coin toss. It is also
common for one player (or the umpire/scorer) to hide the ball in one or the other hand (usually
hidden under the table), allowing the other player to guess which hand the ball is in. The correct or
incorrect guess gives the "winner" the option to choose to serve, receive, or to choose which side of
the table to use. (A common but non-sanctioned method is for the players to play the ball back and
forth three times and then play out the point. This is commonly referred to as "serve to play", "rally to
serve", "play for serve", or "volley for serve".)

Service and return

In game play, the player serving the ball commences a play. The server first stands with the ball held
on the open palm of the hand not carrying the paddle, called the freehand, and tosses the ball
directly upward without spin, at least 16 cm (6.3 in) high. The server strikes the ball with the racket
on the ball's descent so that it touches first his court and then touches directly the receiver's court
without touching the net assembly. In casual games, many players do not toss the ball upward;
however, this is technically illegal and can give the serving player an unfair advantage.
The ball must remain behind the endline and above the upper surface of the table, known as the
playing surface, at all times during the service. The server cannot use his body or clothing to
obstruct sight of the ball; the opponent and the umpire must have a clear view of the ball at all times.
If the umpire is doubtful of the legality of a service they may first interrupt play and give a warning to
the server. If the serve is a clear failure or is doubted again by the umpire after the warning, the
receiver scores a point.
If the service is "good", then the receiver must make a "good" return by hitting the ball back before it
bounces a second time on receiver's side of the table so that the ball passes the net and touches the
opponent's court, either directly or after touching the net assembly.Thereafter, the server and
receiver must alternately make a return until the rally is over. Returning the serve is one of the most
difficult parts of the game, as the server's first move is often the least predictable and thus most
advantageous shot due to the numerous spin and speed choices at his or her disposal.

Let
A Let is a rally of which the result is not scored, and is called in the following circumstance

The ball touches the net in service (service), provided the service is otherwise correct or the
ball is obstructed by the player on the receiving side. Obstruction means a player touches the
ball when it is above or traveling towards the playing surface, not having touched the player's
court since last being struck by the player.

When the player on the receiving side is not ready and the service is delivered.

Player's failure to make a service or a return or to comply with the Laws is due to a
disturbance outside the control of the player.

Play is interrupted by the umpire or assistant umpire.

A let is also called if the ball hits the server's side of the table if the ball does not pass further than
the edge. If the ball hits the table edge and hits the net, it is called a foul serve.

Scoring
A point is scored by the player for any of several results of the rally

The opponent fails to make a correct service or return.

After making a service or a return, the ball touches anything other than the net assembly
before being struck by the opponent.

The ball passes over the player's court or beyond his end line without touching his court,
after being struck by the opponent.

The opponent obstructs the ball.

The opponent strikes the ball twice successively. Note that the hand that is holding the racket
counts as part of the racket and that making a good return off one's hand or fingers is allowed. It
is not a fault if the ball accidentally hits one's hand or fingers and then subsequently hits the
racket.

The opponent strikes the ball with a side of the racket blade whose surface is not covered
with rubber.

The opponent moves the playing surface or touches the net assembly.

The opponent's free hand touches the playing surface.

As a receiver under the expedite system, completing 13 returns in a rally.

The opponent that has been warned by the umpire commits a second offense in the same
individual match or team match. If the third offence happens, 2 points will be given to the
player. If the individual match or the team match has not ended, any unused penalty points can
be transferred to the next game of that match.

A game shall be won by the player first scoring 11 points unless both players score 10 points, when
the game shall be won by the first player subsequently gaining a lead of 2 points. A match shall
consist of the best of any odd number of games. In competition play, matches are typically best of
five or seven games.

Alternation of services and ends

Service alternates between opponents every two points (regardless of winner of the rally) until the
end of the game, unless both players score ten points or the expedite system is operated, when the
sequences of serving and receiving stay the same but each player serves for only one point in turn
(Deuce).[40] The player serving first in a game receives first in the next game of the match.
After each game, players switch sides of the table. In the last possible game of a match, for example
the seventh game in a best of seven matches, players change ends when the first player scores five
points, regardless of whose turn it is to serve. Service is subject to change on game point of the
match. If the sequence of serving and receiving is out of turn or the ends are not changed, points
scored in the wrong situation are still calculated and the game shall be resumed with the order at the
score that has been reached.

Double game[edit]

Service zone in doubles game

In addition to games between individual players, pairs may also play table tennis. Singles and
doubles are both played in international competition, including the Olympic Games since 1988 and
the Commonwealth Games since 2002.[41] In 2005, the ITTF announced that doubles table tennis
only was featured as a part of team events in the 2008 Olympics.
In doubles, all the rules of single play are applied except for the following.
Service
A line painted along the long axis of the table to create doubles courts bisects the table. This
line's only purpose is to facilitate the doubles service rule, which is that service must
originate from the right hand "box" in such a way that the first bounce of the serve bounces
once in said right hand box and then must bounce at least once in the opponent side's right
hand box (far left box for server), or the receiving pair score a point. [33]

Order of play, serving and receiving

1. Players must hit the ball. For example, if A is paired with B, X is paired with Y, A is the
server and X or Y is the receiver. The order of play shall be AX or Y & BX or Y &
vice versa. The rally proceeds this way until one side fails to make a legal return and the
other side scores.[42]
2. At each change of service, the previous receiver shall become the server and the
partner of the previous server shall become the receiver. For example, if the previous
order of play is AX or Y & BX or Y, the order becomes XB or A & YB or A or
XB or A & YA or B after the change of service.[40]
3. In the second or the latter games of a match, the game begins in reverse order of play.
For example, if the order of play is AX or Y & BY or X at beginning of the first game,
the order begins with XA or B & YA & B in the second game depending on either X
or Y being chosen as the first server of the game. That means the first receiver of the
game is the player who served to the first server of the game in the preceding game. In
each game of a doubles match, the pair having the right to serve first shall choose
which of them will do so. The receiving pair, however, can only choose in the first game
of the match.
4. When a pair reaches 5 points in the final game, the pairs must switch ends of the table
and change the receiver to reverse the order of play. For example, when the last order
of play before a pair score 5 points in the final game is AXBY, the order after
change shall be AYBX if A still has the second serve. Otherwise, X is the next
server and the order becomes XAYB.

Expedite system[edit]
If a game is unfinished after 10 minutes' play and fewer than 18 points have been scored, the
expedite system is initiated.[37] The umpire interrupts the game, and the game resumes with players
serving for one point in turn. If the expedite system is introduced while the ball is not in play, the
previous receiver shall serve first. Under the expedite system, the server must win the point before
the opponent makes 13 consecutive returns or the point goes to the opponent. The system can also
be initiated at any time at the request of both players or pairs. Once introduced, the expedite system
remains in force until the end of the match. A rule to shorten the time of a match, it is mainly seen in
defensive players' games.

Grips[edit]

Though table tennis players grip their rackets in various ways, their grips can be classified into two
major families of styles, penhold and shakehand.[43] The rules of table tennis do not prescribe the
manner in which one must grip the racket, and numerous grips are employed.

Penhold[edit]
The penhold grip is so-named because one grips the racket similarly to the way one holds a writing
instrument.[44] The style of play among penhold players can vary greatly from player to player. The
most popular style, usually referred to as the Chinese penhold style, involves curling the middle,
ring, and fourth finger on the back of the blade with the three fingers always touching one another.
[44]

Chinese penholders favour a round racket head, for a more over-the-table style of play. In

contrast, another style, sometimes referred to as the Japanese/Korean penhold grip, involves
splaying those three fingers out across the back of the racket, usually with all three fingers touching
the back of the racket, rather than stacked upon one another.[44] Sometimes a combination of the two
styles occurs, wherein the middle, ring and fourth fingers are straight, but still stacked, or where all
fingers may be touching the back of the racket, but are also in contact with one another.
Japanese/Korean penholders will often use a square-headed racket for an away-from-the-table style
of play. Traditionally these square-headed rackets feature a block of cork on top of the handle, as
well as a thin layer of cork on the back of the racket, for increased grip and comfort. Penhold styles
are popular among players originating from East Asian regions such as China, Taiwan, Japan,
and South Korea.
Traditionally, penhold players use only one side of the racket to hit the ball during normal play, and
the side which is in contact with the last three fingers is generally not used. This configuration is
sometimes referred to as "traditional penhold" and is more commonly found in square-headed racket
styles. However, the Chinese developed a technique in the 1990s in which a penholder uses both
sides of the racket to hit the ball, where the player produces a backhand stroke (most often topspin)
known as a reverse penhold backhand by turning the traditional side of the racket to face one's self,
and striking the ball with the opposite side of the racket. This stroke has greatly improved and
strengthened the penhold style both physically and psychologically, as it eliminates the strategic
weakness of the traditional penhold backhand.
Shakehand grip

Forehand

Backhand

Shakehand[edit]
The shakehand grip is so-named because the racket is grasped as if one is performing a
handshake.[45] Though it is sometimes referred to as the "tennis" or "Western" grip, it bears no
relation to the Western tennis grip, which was popularized on the West Coast of the United States in
which the racket is rotated 90, and played with the wrist turned so that on impact the knuckles face
the target. In table tennis, "Western" refers to Western nations, for this is the grip that players native
to Europe and the Americas have almost exclusively employed.
The shakehand grips simplicity and versatility, coupled with the acceptance among top-level
Chinese trainers that the European style of play should be emulated and trained against, has
established it as a common grip even in China.[46] Many world-class Asian players currently use the
shakehand grip, and it is generally accepted that shakehands is easier to learn than penholder,
allowing a broader range of playing styles both offensive and defensive. [47]

Seemiller[edit]
The Seemiller grip is named after the American table tennis champion Danny Seemiller, who used it.
It is achieved by placing your thumb and index finger on either side of the bottom of the racquet
head and holding the handle with the rest of your fingers. Since only one side of the racquet is used
to hit the ball, two contrasting rubber types can be applied to the blade, offering the advantage of
"twiddling" the racket to fool the opponent. Seemiller paired inverted rubber with anti-spin rubber;
many players today combine inverted and long-pipped rubber. The grip is considered exceptional for
blocking, especially on the backhand side, and for forehand loops of backspin balls. [48] The Seemiller
grip's popularity reached its apex in 1983 when four of the United States' five participants in the
World Championships used it.[48]

Types of strokes[edit]
Table tennis strokes generally break down into offensive and defensive categories.

Offensive strokes[edit]
Hit[edit]
A direct hit on the ball propelling it forward back to the opponent. This stroke differs from speed
drives in other racket sports like tennis because the racket is primarilyperpendicular to the direction
of the stroke and most of the energy applied to the ball results in speed rather than spin, creating a
shot that does not arc much, but is fast enough that it can be difficult to return. A speed drive is used
mostly for keeping the ball in play, applying pressure on the opponent, and potentially opening up an
opportunity for a more powerful attack.
Loop[edit]
Perfected during the 1960s,[4] the loop is essentially the reverse of the speed drive. The racket is
much more parallel to the direction of the stroke ("closed") and the racket thusgrazes the ball,
resulting in a large amount of topspin. A good loop drive will arc quite a bit, and once striking the
opponent's side of the table will jump forward, much like a kick serve in tennis.
Counter-hit[edit]
The counter-hit is usually a counterattack against drives, normally high loop drives. The racket is
held closed and near to the ball, which is hit with a short movement "off the bounce" (immediately
after hitting the table) so that the ball travels faster to the other side. A well-timed, accurate counterdrive can be as effective as a smash.
Flick[edit]
When a player tries to attack a ball that has not bounced beyond the edge of the table, the player
does not have the room to wind up in a backswing. The ball may still be attacked, however, and the
resulting shot is called a flip because the backswing is compressed into a quick wrist action. A flip is
not a single stroke and can resemble either a loop drive or a loop in its characteristics. What
identifies the stroke is that the backswing is compressed into a short wrist flick.
Smash[edit]
The offensive trump card is the smash. A player will typically execute a smash when his or her
opponent has returned a ball that bounces too high or too close to the net.Smashing consists of
using a large backswing and rapid acceleration to impart as much speed on the ball as possible. The
goal of a smash is to get the ball to move so quickly that the opponent simply cannot return it.
Because the ball speed is the main aim of this shot, often the spin on the ball is something other

than topspin. Sidespin can be used effectively with a smash to alter the ball's trajectory significantly,
although most intermediate players will smash the ball with little or no spin. An offensive table tennis
player will think of a rally as a build-up to a winning smash.

Defensive strokes[edit]
Push[edit]
The push (or "slice" in Asia) is usually used for keeping the point alive and creating offensive
opportunities. A push resembles a tennis slice: the racket cuts underneath the ball, imparting
backspin and causing the ball to float slowly to the other side of the table. While not obvious, a push
can be difficult to attack because the backspin on the ball causes it to drop toward the table upon
striking the opponent's racket. In order to attack a push, a player must usually loop the ball back over
the net. Often, the best option for beginners is to simply push the ball back again, resulting in
pushing rallies. Against good players, it may be the worst option because the opponent will counter
with a loop, putting the first player in a defensive position. Another response to pushing is flipping the
ball when it is close to the net. Pushing can have advantages in some circumstances, such as when
the opponent makes easy mistakes.
Chop[edit]
A chop is the defensive, backspin counterpart to the offensive loop drive. [49] A chop is essentially a
bigger, heavier push, taken well back from the table. The racket face points primarily horizontally,
perhaps a little bit upward, and the direction of the stroke is straight down. The object of a defensive
chop is to match the topspin of the opponent's shot with backspin. A good chop will float nearly
horizontally back to the table, in some cases having so much backspin that the ball actually rises.
Such a chop can be extremelydifficult to return due to its enormous amount of backspin. Some
defensive players can also impart no-spin or sidespin variations of the chop.
Block[edit]
The block is a simple shot, but nonetheless can be devastating against an attacking opponent. A
block is executed by simply placing the racket in front of the ball right after the ball bounces; thus,
the ball rebounds back toward the opponent with nearly as much energy as it came in with. This is
not as easy as it sounds, because the ball's spin, speed, and location all influence the correct angle
of a block. It is very possible for an opponent to execute a perfect loop, drive, or smash, only to have
the blocked shot come back at him just as fast. Due to the power involved in offensive strokes, often
an opponent simply cannot recover quickly enough, and will be unable to return the blocked shot.
Blocks almost always produce the same spin as was received, many times topspin. Depending on

the spin of the ball, the block may be returned to an unexpected side of the table. This may come to
your advantage, as the opponent may not expect this.
Lob[edit]
The defensive lob is possibly the most impressive shot, since it propels the ball about five metres in
height, only to land on the opponent's side of the table with great amounts of spin. [50] To execute, a
defensive player first backs-off the table 46 meters; then, the stroke itself consists of lifting the ball
to an enormous height before it falls back to the opponent's side of the table. A lob is inherently a
creative shot, and can have nearly any kind of spin. Top-quality players use this to their advantage in
order to control the spin of the ball. For instance, though the opponent may smash the ball hard and
fast, a good defensive lob could be more difficult to return due to the unpredictability and heavy
amounts of the spin on the ball.[50] Thus, though backed off the table by tens of feet and running to
reach the ball, a good defensive player can still win the point using good lobs. However, at the
professional level, lobbers will lose the point most of the time, so the lob is not used unless it is really
necessary.
Basic Service Techniques
The following are the basic rules of service:
1. The ball must be held above the table level in order for the opponent and umpire to
see it.
2. The ball must be held in the palm of the hand with fingers stretched, and tossed
vertically at least six inches.
3. The ball must be struck only on the way down.
4. The ball must be struck behind the end line.
Serves are entirely up to the player; there are no specific serves that must be used by
everybody. But to begin with, there are some basic serves that should be experimented
with. Imparting spin on these serves should be concentrated mostly on the wrist.
Backspin- just like pushing or chopping, a backspin serve is executed with an open racket
slicing the bottom of the ball.
Topspin- like driving, topspin serves can be done hitting with a flat racket, or like looping,
where the player grazes the top of the ball with a closed racket for more spin.
Sidespin- simply hit the back of the ball in a left-to-right or right-to-left motion, as desired.
To make the stroke easier, try holding the racket in front of you and brushing the bottom of
the ball in a pendulum motion.
Notes on serves: Be sure to assume the ready position as soon as you finish your service
motion. Keep the ball as low as possible to prevent an early attack by the opponent.

Experiment with all the spins; mix up your serves during games. The spins are not the only
thing that should be varied. Practice placing the ball in different depths and in different
directions. Unlike doubles, a singles serve can go anywhere on the opponent's court. The
advantage to service is the uncertainty faced by the returner. Be as inconspicuous as
possible.

Effects of spin[edit]
Adding spin onto the ball causes major changes in table tennis gameplay. Although nearly every
stroke or serve creates some kind of spin, understanding the individual types of spin allows players
to defend against and use different spins effectively.[51]

4 phases in a backspin curve

Backspin[edit]
Backspin is where the bottom half of the ball is rotating away from the player, and is imparted by
striking the base of the ball with a downward movement. [51] At the professional level, backspin is
usually used defensively in order to keep the ball low.[52] Backspin is commonly employed in service
because it is harder to produce an offensive return, though at the professional level most people
serve sidespin with either backspin or topspin. Due to the initial lift of the ball, there is a limit on how
much speed with which one can hit the ball without missing the opponent's side of the table.
However, backspin also makes it harder for the opponent to return the ball with great speed because
of the required angular precision of the return. Alterations are frequently made to regulations
regarding equipment in an effort to maintain a balance between defensive and offensive spin
choices.[citation needed] It is actually possible to smash with backspin offensively, but only on high balls that
are close to the net.

4 phases in a topspin curve

Topspin[edit]
The topspin stroke has a smaller influence on the first part of the ball-curve. Like the backspin
stroke, however, the axis of spin remains roughly perpendicular to the trajectory of the ball thus
allowing for theMagnus effect to dictate the subsequent curvature. After the apex of the curve, the
ball dips downwards as it approaches the opposing side, before bouncing. On the bounce, the
topspin will accelerate the ball, much in the same way that a wheel which is already spinning would
accelerate upon making contact with the ground. Again, the most significant change appears when
the opponent attempts to return the ball (with a smooth, pimples inwards rubber). Due to the topspin,
the ball jumps upwards and the opponent is forced to compensate for the topspin by adjusting the
angle of his or her racket. This is commonly known as "closing the racket". The speed limitation of
the topspin stroke is minor compared to the backspin stroke. This stroke is the predominant
technique used in professional competition because it gives the opponent less time to respond. In
table tennis topspin is regarded as an offensive technique due to increased ball speed, lower biomechanical efficiency and the pressure that it puts on the opponent by reducing reaction time. (It is
possible to play defensive topspin-lobs from far behind the table, but only highly skilled players use
this stroke with any tactical efficiency.) Topspin is the least common type of spin to be found in
service at the professional level, simply because it is much easier to attack a top-spin ball that is not
moving at high speed.

Sidespin[edit]
This type of spin is predominantly employed during service, wherein the contact angle of the racket
can be more easily varied. Unlike the two aforementioned techniques, sidespin causes the ball to
spin on an axis which is vertical, rather than horizontal. The axis of rotation is still roughly
perpendicular to the trajectory of the ball. In this circumstance, the Magnus effect will still dictate the
curvature of the ball to some degree. Another difference is that unlike backspin and topspin, sidespin
will have relatively very little effect on the bounce of the ball, much in the same way that a spinning

top would not travel left or right if its axis of rotation were exactly vertical. This makes sidespin a
useful weapon in service, because it is less easily recognized when bouncing, and the ball "loses"
less spin on the bounce. Sidespin can also be employed in offensive rally strokes, often from a
greater distance, as an adjunct to topspin or backspin. This stroke is sometimes referred to as a
"hook". The hook can even be used in some extreme cases to circumvent the net when away from
the table.

Corkspin[edit]
This type of spin is almost exclusively employed in service, but it is also used from time to time in the
lob at the professional level. Unlike any of the aforementioned techniques, corkspin (sometimes
referred to as "drill-spin") features a unique situation in which the axis of spin is more or less parallel
to the trajectory of the ball. This means that the Magnus effect will have little to no effect on the
trajectory of a cork-spun ball. Upon bouncing, the ball will dart right or left, depending on the
direction of the spin, making it very difficult to return. Although in theory this type of spin produces
the most obnoxious effects, it is not as strategically practical as sidespin or backspin in terms of the
limitations that it imposes upon the opponent during their return. Aside from the initial direction
change when bouncing, provided that it does not exceed the reach of the opponent, a cork-spun ball
is easily countered with topspin or backspin. Similar to a backspin stroke, the corkspin stroke has a
lower maximum velocity, simply due to the contact angle of the racket when producing the stroke. To
impart a spin on the ball which is parallel to its trajectory, the racket must be swung more or less
perpendicular to the trajectory of the ball. This greatly limits the amount of forward momentum that
can be transferred to the ball by the racket. Corkspin is almost always mixed with another variety of
spin, as it is less effective and harder to produce on its own.