Terms and Techniques
American Grip - an alternative name for the Seemiller grip.
Antispin - the name given to the inverted sheet of rubber sometimes put on one side of the bat which, with a layer of dead sponge underneath, is resistant to spin.
Backhand - a shot executed with the back of the hand pointing towards the opponent, to the left of the elbow for a right handed player and vice versa for a left handed player.
Backspin- when spin is added to the bottom of the ball using a chop.
Bat - an alternative name for a racket.
‘’Blade'' - the name given to the racket without its rubber covering.
Block - a stroke which uses the racket to block the ball’s path but maintains its speed and control.
Blocker - a type of playing that uses the block more than any other stroke.
Chinese Racket - a type of racket favoured by Chinese players having a very short handle.
Chop - standing relatively far from the table, the chop is used in backspin, making contact with the bottom of the ball to drive it back across the table.
Closed Racket - when the racket makes contact with the ball at a slight downwards angle.
Counter drive - a drive stroke which is played against the opponent’s drive.
Crossover - a technique of crossing the feet when executing a shot.
Crosscourt - the term used when a ball crosses from one corner of the table to another corner.
Dead Ball - the term given to a ball that doesn’t reach the opponent’s side of the table or the name of a ball without any spin.
Deep - a ball that is very likely to bounce twice on the opposite side of the table.
Double bounce - when a ball bounces twice on one side of the table before a return, causing that player to lose a point.
Down-the-line - the term given to a ball that is hit down the side of the table.
Drive - an offensive shot that relies upon a good forearm swing.
Drop shot - a very short shot which drops just over the net on the opponent’s side of the table, usually used when the opponent is positioned away from the table.
Flat- the term used when the ball lands at a perpendicular angle to the racket.
Japanese Racket - a type of racket favoured by Japanese players with a raised handle allowing extra leverage.
Flip - the name given to a topspin that lands close to the net.
Footwork - the movement of the player’s feet when they make a shot.
Forehand - a shot that is played with the palm of the hand facing the opponent, to the right side of the elbow for a right handed player and vice versa for a left handed player.
Freehand - the hand not holding the racket.
Hard Rubber - a rubber covering on a racket with no sponge underneath, used in the early years of table tennis, allowing for a much slower game.
High Toss Serve - a serve taken on a ball that is thrown particularly high into the air.
Inverted Sponge - a smooth rubber surface on top of a layer of sponge, currently the most popular covering for a table tennis racket.
ITTF - International Table Tennis Federation.
Kill Shot - an alternative name for a smash.
Let - when a shot does not count and the point is started again. e.g. if the ball hits the net but continues over to the opponent’s side of the table.
Loaded - a ball that has a particularly powerful spin.
Lob - usually using a backspin or topspin, the term given to a defensive return of a smash.
Long - an alternative word for deep.
Loop - a shot that uses topspin.
Looper - style of playing that uses the loop more than any other shot.
Match - a period of play usually consisting of three games out of five or four games out of seven.
Open Racket - when the racket makes contact with the ball at a slight upwards angle.
Paddle - an alternative name for a racket
Penhold grip - a way of gripping the racket as if holding a pen, allowing for the most effective forehand.
Point - a point is won when the opponent fails to hit the ball back across the net
Playing Surface - the top of the table
Push - a defensive stroke reliant upon a fast wrist snap.
‘Racket hand'' - the hand that is used to hold the racket.
Rally - the period of time a ball is being hit back and forth between players, beginning with the serve and ending when a point is won.
Receive - the return of a serve.
Rubber Cleaner- used to clean the rubber of a racket in order to keep it smooth and reduce friction.
Seemiller Grip - an unconventional way of gripping the racket that allows the same surface of the bat to play backhand and forehand strokes.
Service - also called serve, the initial stroke in a point.
Shake hand grip - a way of gripping the racket as if shaking someone’s hand.
Smash - an extremely fast, powerful stroke used against short high returns.
'‘Speed Glue'' - a type of glue put underneath a sheet of sponge on a racket to increase speed and spin.
Spin - the rotation of the ball.
Stroke - a type of shot. Different strokes are used according to the speed and position of the ball and the player’s individual strengths and weaknesses.
Sweet spot - the centre of the racket which allows the most bounce.
Topspin - causing the top of the ball to move away from the racket, used for the most aggressive shots.
Two-step footwork - when the feet are moved in a side to side motion in the direction of the ball, used to improve control and maintain balance during a shot.
Umpire - the official who keeps the score, makes judgments and enforces rules during a match.
Underspin - an alternative word for backspin.
Volley - when a player hits the ball before it bounces on their side of the table causing them to lose the point. Unlike in outdoor tennis, volleys are banned in table tennis.
Whiff Whaff - an early name given to table tennis referring to the noise made by the early parchment rackets produced by Victorian manufacturers.