Table tennis bat
A small wooden blade covered with rubber used to hit the ball in table tennis.
Overview
A table tennis bat, also called a paddle or racket, has a wooden blade covered on one or both sides with a rubber surface. The rubber lets players grip and spin the lightweight ball, which is central to how the game is played.
The two sides of the bat can have different rubber surfaces, giving players varied options for speed and spin depending on how they hold and swing it.
Good to know
- The rubber surface is what allows players to impart spin.
- Sides may use different rubbers for different effects.
- Also referred to as a paddle or racket.
Where it’s used
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Techniques
- Table Tennis Forehand DriveA controlled attacking stroke in table tennis, played on the forehand side with a compact swing and light topspin.
- Topspin ForehandA forehand groundstroke hit with a low-to-high swing that puts forward spin on the ball so it dips and kicks up on landing.
- One-Handed BackhandA backhand groundstroke struck with a single hand on the grip, driving through the ball with a full extension of the hitting arm.
- HeaderA technique for controlling or striking the ball with the forehead in football, used to pass, shoot or clear the ball in the air.
- Tennis ServeThe overhead stroke that starts every point, hit from behind the baseline into the diagonally opposite service box.
Learning paths
Knowledge Atlas
Scoring systems
- Table tennis scoringTable tennis is scored on every rally to 11 points per game, won by two clear points, over a best-of odd number of games.
- Tiebreak scoringA tiebreak is a short deciding game used in racket sports to settle a set that has reached an even number of games, scored in simple numbers to a fixed target.
Rules
- LetA call that stops a point and has it replayed without penalty, used across several racket sports.
- Foot faultA serving fault called when the server's foot touches the baseline or court before striking the ball.
- Two-bounce ruleA pickleball rule requiring both the serve and the return to bounce once before players may hit the ball out of the air.
- Three-hit ruleThe volleyball rule that a team may contact the ball at most three times before it must cross the net.
- TravelingA basketball violation for moving illegally with the ball without dribbling it.
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How this page is maintained
- Content type
- Equipment
- Provenance
- Tier A — evergreen educational
- Verified external sources
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- Content updated
- 2026-07-09
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