The Dawei World Team Table Tennis Championships
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
February 19-26 2000


Ball Change

February 23, 2000

The size of the table tennis ball to be used in international competition is set to change after a groundbreaking decision by the International Table Tennis Federation - ITTF - at their General Meeting in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on February 23.

The change is one of the most significant developments in the sport for over 30 years, with implications for the game as a whole. Adham Sharara, the President of the ITTF, spoke about the change shortly after the decision.

"Personally I was very surprised that it came so soon. The most important thing for us was that the bigger ball came in to effect. I was shocked that the majority preferred the earliest date for implementation," revealed Sharara.

The decision will take effect from October 1, 2000 after the completion of the Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia. The first major competition to use the bigger ball will be the World Cup events in the autumn of 2000.

The ball will increase from the present 38mm to 40mm in diameter and the weight will be set at 2.7grams. The smaller ball will not be used in international competition after the 2000 Olympic Games.

Although on the surface this seems a small alteration, the effects on the way the game is played and watched will be hugely significant. The volume of the ball will increase by almost 20 per cent and affect the way in which top players are able to apply speed and spin. The ball will also move more slowly though the air to give players more reaction time.

The move has been prompted by calls to make the game more appealing to audiences and the media. With the game played at a slower rate, rallies will be much longer and this should provide a better spectacle for the media and public alike.

Some leading players have expressed doubts about the new ball, which will favour certain styles of play, but Sharara is keen to reassure the sport's top stars.

"For the current players I am not worried at all. They will have to be more athletic to achieve the same levels of spin and speed, but that is good for the game. The main thing is increased visibility - for the media and spectators."

Table tennis is following a similar path to that taken by the International Tennis Federation - ITF. At the start of the 2001 ATP Tour, larger tennis balls will be used in competition on the faster surfaces, whereas the current size of ball will be retained for clay courts.

The World Individual and Team Championships in Osaka, Japan in 2001 will be the first to use the new equipment.