33 table tennis quiz questions with answers, covering ITTF rules, equipment, strokes and champions. Reveal each answer, or read the full key at the end.
Each question gives three options and holds the correct one behind a button, so you can keep an honest score. If you want the whole set of table tennis trivia questions and answers in one block, the key under the scoring table lists all 33 in order. The rule and equipment questions make a fair round for a club evening, and the ping pong questions about table tennis near the start are easy enough for beginners.
1. What is the official name of the Table Tennis sport’s international governing body?
- A) International Table Tennis Federation
- B) World Table Tennis Association
- C) Global Ping Pong Corporation
2. What is the approved table tennis ball size as per ITTF regulations?
- A) 38 mm
- B) 40 mm
- C) 42 mm
3. How many players are allowed on each side in Table Tennis during a doubles game?
- A) One
- B) Two
- C) Three
4. Which country won the first Table Tennis World Championships held in 1926?
- A) United Kingdom
- B) Germany
- C) Hungary
5. How many serves does each player have in a row during a game of Table Tennis?
- A) One
- B) Two
- C) Three
6. What part of the Table Tennis paddle is called “rubber”?
- A) The edge of the paddle
- B) The handle
- C) The surface that comes into contact with the ball
7. In an official Table Tennis match, how many points does a player need to win a game?
- A) 11
- B) 15
- C) 21
8. What type of playing area is used in Table Tennis?
- A) A netted court
- B) A table
- C) An angled pitch
9. Who holds the record for the most men's singles titles at the World Table Tennis Championships?
- A) Jan-Ove Waldner
- B) Viktor Barna
- C) Ma Long
10. What is the official ball color for Table Tennis?
- A) Yellow
- B) White or orange
- C) Green
11. How wide is a Table Tennis table, measured in inches?
- A) 48 inches
- B) 54 inches
- C) 60 inches
12. How high is the Table Tennis net?
- A) 6 inches
- B) 8 inches
- C) 10 inches
13. What is the minimum number of games required to win a full match in Table Tennis?
- A) Two
- B) Three
- C) Four
14. Which spin makes the ball dip downward in flight and kick forward after it bounces?
- A) Backspin
- B) Sidespin
- C) Topspin
15. What is the popular nickname for Table Tennis?
- A) Tossball
- B) Ping Pong
- C) Racket Race
16. When was Table Tennis first introduced in the Olympic Games?
- A) 1988
- B) 1992
- C) 1996
17. Which stroke in Table Tennis is used to return a ball with a high arc and a lot of backspin?
- A) Chop
- B) Loop
- C) Smash
18. What does the term “let” mean in Table Tennis?
- A) A point scored
- B) A minor rule violation
- C) A rally that must be replayed
19. Which country has won the most Olympic gold medals in Table Tennis?
- A) Japan
- B) China
- C) Sweden
20. Which player is known as the “Mozart of Table Tennis”?
- A) Ma Long
- B) Xu Xin
- C) Jan-Ove Waldner
21. How long is a Table Tennis table, measured in inches?
- A) 108 inches
- B) 96 inches
- C) 120 inches
22. What term is used to describe a player hitting the ball before it bounces in Table Tennis?
- A) Flick
- B) Volley
- C) Drive
23. What are the dimensions of a full-size table tennis table?
- A) 9 feet by 5 feet
- B) 8 feet by 4 feet
- C) 10 feet by 5 feet
24. What color are the two halves of a Table Tennis paddle?
- A) Red and black
- B) Green and yellow
- C) Blue and red
25. What does the term “twiddle” mean in Table Tennis?
- A) Spinning the ball with a finger
- B) Switching the racket between hands
- C) Rotating the racket between shots
26. Who is the first American to win a World Championship in Table Tennis?
- A) Ruth Aarons
- B) Tim Boggan
- C) Lily Zhang
27. How many points does a player need to lead by in order to win a game of Table Tennis?
- A) 1 point
- B) 2 points
- C) 3 points
28. What is the official term for the stroke where a player imparts topspin by brushing the ball?
- A) Flip
- B) Flip-flop
- C) Loop
29. Which grip holds the racket the way you would hold a writing pen?
- A) Shakehand grip
- B) Penhold grip
- C) Seemiller grip
30. Which stroke is a controlled, passive return with light backspin, usually played over the table?
- A) Push
- B) Smash
- C) Loop
31. What do the ITTF rules require a server to do with the ball before striking it?
- A) Bounce it on the table first
- B) Hold it in a closed fist
- C) Toss it at least 16 centimeters upward
32. What is the maximum thickness allowed for the sponge and rubber on a Table Tennis racket?
- A) 4 mm
- B) 6 mm
- C) 8 mm
33. After how long does the expedite rule come into force in a game?
- A) 5 minutes
- B) 10 minutes
- C) 15 minutes
Results
| # of Correct Answers | Percentage Range | Label | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0- | 0-49% | Ping Pong PupilArmchair Athlete | You've got some learning to do, but don't worry, there's always the next game! |
| - | 50-64% | Serve SpecialistRookie Runner | Not bad! Keep practicing, and you'll be a sports trivia champ in no time. |
| - | 65-79% | Rally RookieMidfield Maestro | Impressive! You're getting closer to the top, keep up the good work. |
| - | 80-94% | Spin MasterAll-Star Striker | Wow, you really know your sports trivia! You're a force to be reckoned with. |
| -33 | 95-100% | Table Tennis TitanLegendary Champion | Unbelievable! You're a true sports trivia master. Your knowledge knows no bounds! |
Table Tennis Quiz Answers: The Full Answer Key
Every question in this table tennis quiz with its correct answer, in the order the questions appear above. Check your score against the table, or use the list as a set of table tennis trivia questions and answers for a quiz night of your own.
| # | Question | Answer |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | What is the official name of the Table Tennis sport's international governing body? | A) International Table Tennis Federation |
| 2 | What is the approved table tennis ball size as per ITTF regulations? | B) 40 mm |
| 3 | How many players are allowed on each side in Table Tennis during a doubles game? | B) Two |
| 4 | Which country won the first Table Tennis World Championships held in 1926? | C) Hungary |
| 5 | How many serves does each player have in a row during a game of Table Tennis? | B) Two |
| 6 | What part of the Table Tennis paddle is called "rubber"? | C) The surface that comes into contact with the ball |
| 7 | In an official Table Tennis match, how many points does a player need to win a game? | A) 11 |
| 8 | What type of playing area is used in Table Tennis? | B) A table |
| 9 | Who holds the record for the most men's singles titles at the World Table Tennis Championships? | B) Viktor Barna |
| 10 | What is the official ball color for Table Tennis? | B) White or orange |
| 11 | How wide is a Table Tennis table, measured in inches? | C) 60 inches |
| 12 | How high is the Table Tennis net? | A) 6 inches |
| 13 | What is the minimum number of games required to win a full match in Table Tennis? | B) Three |
| 14 | Which spin makes the ball dip downward in flight and kick forward after it bounces? | C) Topspin |
| 15 | What is the popular nickname for Table Tennis? | B) Ping Pong |
| 16 | When was Table Tennis first introduced in the Olympic Games? | A) 1988 |
| 17 | Which stroke in Table Tennis is used to return a ball with a high arc and a lot of backspin? | A) Chop |
| 18 | What does the term "let" mean in Table Tennis? | C) A rally that must be replayed |
| 19 | Which country has won the most Olympic gold medals in Table Tennis? | B) China |
| 20 | Which player is known as the "Mozart of Table Tennis"? | C) Jan-Ove Waldner |
| 21 | How long is a Table Tennis table, measured in inches? | A) 108 inches |
| 22 | What term is used to describe a player hitting the ball before it bounces in Table Tennis? | B) Volley |
| 23 | What are the dimensions of a full-size table tennis table? | A) 9 feet by 5 feet |
| 24 | What color are the two halves of a Table Tennis paddle? | A) Red and black |
| 25 | What does the term "twiddle" mean in Table Tennis? | C) Rotating the racket between shots |
| 26 | Who is the first American to win a World Championship in Table Tennis? | A) Ruth Aarons |
| 27 | How many points does a player need to lead by in order to win a game of Table Tennis? | B) 2 points |
| 28 | What is the official term for the stroke where a player imparts topspin by brushing the ball? | C) Loop |
| 29 | Which grip holds the racket the way you would hold a writing pen? | B) Penhold grip |
| 30 | Which stroke is a controlled, passive return with light backspin, usually played over the table? | A) Push |
| 31 | What do the ITTF rules require a server to do with the ball before striking it? | C) Toss it at least 16 centimeters upward |
| 32 | What is the maximum thickness allowed for the sponge and rubber on a Table Tennis racket? | A) 4 mm |
| 33 | After how long does the expedite rule come into force in a game? | B) 10 minutes |
Test your knowledge gained from reading about who invented table tennis.
Hungry for More? Check out these Resources!
- Our posts about Table Tennis
- Wikipedia
- International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF)
- ITTF YouTube Channel
- More posts about Ball Sports
FAQ
How many questions are in this table tennis quiz?
There are 33. Each question offers three options, and the correct answer is hidden behind the reveal button below it.
Where can I see the table tennis trivia questions and answers together?
The answer key near the bottom of the page repeats all 33 questions with their correct answers in order, so a full round can be scored in one pass.
Are these ping pong quiz questions difficult?
They start easy and get harder. Table size, ball color and the basic scoring are common knowledge, while the ITTF rules, stroke names and world champions further down are for regular players.
Can I use these questions for a club night or a pub quiz?
Yes. Read out the question and the three options, let everyone note a letter, then go through the answer key at the end and count the correct answers.
What is a good score on this table tennis quiz?
Anything above half is respectable. The scoring table under the last question turns your total into a rank, from Ping Pong Pupil at the bottom to Table Tennis Titan at the top.
What are the differences between tennis and table tennis?
Tennis is played on a court with a strung racket and a felt ball, over a net just under a meter high. Table tennis is played across a table 9 feet by 5 feet with a wooden bat, a 40 mm plastic ball and a net 6 inches high.
How many points do you need to win a game of table tennis?
Eleven, and you must be two points clear. If the score reaches 10-10 the game continues until one player leads by two.
What size is an official table tennis ball?
40 mm in diameter, weighing 2.7 grams, in white or orange. The ball moved up from 38 mm to 40 mm in 2000 to slow the game slightly for spectators.
Why is table tennis called ping pong?
Ping-Pong was a brand name registered by the English firm J. Jaques and Son in 1901, taken from the sound of the ball. The name stuck as the everyday word for the game, while table tennis stayed the sporting term.
