Funnily enough, players often spend a lot of time choosing the right ping pong paddle, but completely overlook getting the right balls. The International Table Tennis Federation has strict pingpong rules regarding which type of ping pong ball can be used on any given day at an international tournament. The most important rule is that only one brand of ping pong ball may be used per match. This means that no matter where you play or who you play against, you must always have the same kind of ball as them.
If you want to know exactly why there are so many kinds of ping pong balls available, read our guide below.
Ping pong ball size
Funnily enough, players often spend a lot of time choosing the right ping pong paddle, but completely overlook getting the right balls. There are two main sizes of ping pong ball available on the market today – standard and mini. Standard balls come in three weights: light, medium and heavy. The weight refers to the amount of air inside the ball when inflated. A lighter ball will bounce higher off the surface while a heavier one will sink lower. This means that the lighter ones can travel further before hitting the ground, which makes them ideal for beginners who want to get better at striking the ball back over the net.
Ping pong ball weight
Funnily enough, players often spend a lot of time choosing the right ping pong paddle, but completely overlook getting the right balls. Table tennis balls come in two weights – light and heavy. Lightweight balls tend to bounce higher off the bat, while heavier ones stay lower and offer better control when hitting backspin shots.
Lightweight balls can be hard to hit consistently at high speeds, so most people opt for the heavier version. However, there are exceptions; many professional players play with lighter balls due to their ability to move quickly through the air.
Ping pong ball colour
Funnily enough, players often spend a lot of time choosing the right ping pong paddle, but completely overlook getting the right balls. Table tennis balls come in two colours – yellow and green. Yellow balls are easier to spot when bouncing off other objects, so they make great practice balls. Green balls bounce higher and travel further, making them ideal for competition play.
Yellow balls can sometimes look slightly faded over time, especially if they get wet. This doesn’t affect performance though, so don’t worry too much about it.
You might notice that most professional table tennis tables feature red lines painted along the edges of the court.
