How Table Tennis Rules Changed: Bigger Balls, Faster Games and Fairer Serves

Table tennis introduced major rule changes after the Sydney 2000 Olympics to make matches easier to follow on television. The ball size increased from 38mm to 40mm in October 2000. The larger ball created more air resistance and slowed play, which had become extremely fast because of advances in racket sponge technology. In September 2001, the scoring system changed from 21 points to 11 points, while players began serving two points each instead of five. Service rules were also tightened in 2002, requiring the ball to be thrown at least 16cm so opponents can clearly see the serve. Since July 2014, major ITTF events have used poly-material balls.

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