Table Tennis

Adaptive Table Tennis – Get Involved

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How Can We Help You?

Adaptive tennis, including wheelchair tennis, provides people with disabilities in South Africa the opportunity to enjoy one of the world’s most dynamic and inclusive sports. Played on a standard tennis court with only minor rule adjustments — such as allowing the ball to bounce twice — adaptive tennis emphasises skill, strategy, and athleticism rather than mobility.
Athletes use specialised sports wheelchairs that allow quick turns, speed, and stability, making the game fast, competitive, and highly engaging.
Whether played socially or at elite international levels, adaptive tennis offers physical fitness, confidence, independence, and a welcoming community where players can challenge themselves and thrive.

What Assistance are you Looking for?

1. About Adaptive Table Tennis
2. South African Table Tennis
3. Classifications in Table Tennis
4. Laws of Table Tennis in a Wheelchair
5. Equipment and Playing Conditions

1. About Adaptive Table Tennis

Table tennis, also known as ping pong, is a sport in which two or four players hit a lightweight ball back and forth across a table using a small paddle. The game takes place on a hard table divided by a net. Except for the initial serve, the rules are generally as follows: players must allow a ball played toward them to bounce one time on their side of the table, and must return it so that it bounces on the opposite side at least once.

A point is scored when a player fails to return the ball within the rules. Play is fast and demands quick reactions. Spinning the ball alters its trajectory and limits an opponent’s options, giving the hitter a great advantage.

Table Tennis or Para Table Tennis is a disabled sport which allows both sportsman who use wheelchairs and those who don’t, to participate. Athletes receive classifications, so that they can be grouped for competition purposes according to their impairment.

A man and a woman in wheelchairs participating in Wheelchair Table Tennis

Table tennis is governed by the worldwide organization International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF), founded in 1926. ITTF currently includes 220 member associations. The table tennis official rules are specified in the ITTF handbook. Table tennis has been a Deaflympic sport since 1957 with several event categories.

Table Tennis was included in the first Paralympic Games in 1960. Athletes from all disability groups, with exception to the visual impaired participate and compete in Table Tennis in standing and sitting classes. Men and women compete individually, in doubles, as well as in team events. Para Table Tennis also appears on a lot of multi-sporting event programs.

Para table tennis follows the rules set by the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF). The usual table tennis rules are in effect with slight modifications for wheelchair athletes. Athletes from disability groups can take part. Athletes receive classifications between 1-11. Class 1-5 are for those in wheelchairs and class 6-10 for those who have disabilities that allow them to play standing. Within those groups the higher classification means the more function the athlete has. Class 11 is defined for players with an intellectual disability.

2. South African Table Tennis

Para Table Tennis is a very popular sport in SASAPD and is active in all provinces. The convenor for Table Tennis is Lill Bhagwan. She can be emailed at: Bhagwa_L@mtn.co.za

The South Africa Age Group Summer Games take place from March 11 to March 16.  While not a hugely important event on the international disability sport calendar, it is important on the South African and African continental intellectual disability calendar.  Taking place in Port Elizabeth, the competition also includes INAS sanctioned Cricket, Swimming and Indoor Rowing events open to participants from all African countries.  This makes it important for growing ID sport in Africa.

The IWAS U23 World Games take place from June 28 to July 3 in Prague, Czech Republic.  Formerly known as the IWAS World Junior Games, this biennial competition features Archery, Athletics, Powerlifting, Shooting, Swimming, Table Tennis, Wheelchair Fencing, Wheelchair Rugby, Table Tennis and Volleyball.  These sports are all on the Paralympic program.  Some of the world’s best future Paralympians are scheduled to participate.

3. Classifications in Table Tennis

The roles of classification are to determine eligibility to compete for athletes with disability and to group athletes correctly for competition purposes.
Athletes are grouped by reference to functional ability, resulting from their impairment.

CLASS

CONDITIONS

CLASS 1

No sitting balance with severe reduction of function in the playing arm.

CLASS 2

No sitting balance with reduction of function in the playing arm.

CLASS 3

No sitting balance, although the upper part of the trunk may show activity.
Normal arms, with slight motor loss in the playing hand, but not significant effect on table tennis skills.
The non-playing arm keeps the trunk in position.

CLASS 4

Existing sitting balance although not optimal because of non-existing anchorage (stabilisation) of the pelvis.

CLASS 5

Normal function of trunk muscles.

STANDING CLASS

CLASS 6

Severe impairments of legs and arms.

CLASS 7

Very severe impairments of legs (poor static and dynamic balance), or severe to moderate impairments of playing arm, or combination of arms and legs impairments less severe than in class 6.

CLASS 8

Moderate impairments of the legs, or moderate impairments of playing arm (considering that elbow and shoulder control is very important), or moderate cerebral palsy, hemiplegia or diplegia with good playing arm.

CLASS 9

Mild impairments of the leg(s), or mild impairments of playing arm, or severe impairments of non-playing arm, or mild cerebral palsy with hemiparesis or monoplegia.

CLASS 10

Very mild impairments in legs, or very mild impairment of playing arm, or severe to moderate impairment of non-playing arm, or moderate impairment of the trunk.

CLASS 11

For players with an intellectual disability.

4. Laws of Table Tennis in a Wheelchair

If the receiver is in wheelchair, the service shall be a let under the following circumstances:
1. After touching the receiver’s court, the ball returns in the direction of the net.
2. The ball comes to rest on the receiver’s court.
3. In singles, the ball leaves the receiver’s court after touching it by either of its sidelines.
If the receiver strikes the ball before it crosses a sideline or takes a second bounce on his or her side of the playing surface, the service is considered good and no let is called.

If the receiver is in wheelchair, the service shall be a let under the following circumstances:

1. After touching the receiver’s court, the ball returns in the direction of the net.
2. The ball comes to rest on the receiver’s court.
3. In singles, the ball leaves the receiver’s court after touching it by either of its sidelines.

If the receiver strikes the ball before it crosses a sideline or takes a second bounce on his or her side of the playing surface, the service is considered good and no let is called.

When two players who are in wheelchairs are a pair playing doubles, the server shall first make a service, the receiver shall then make a return but thereafter either player of the disabled pair may make returns. However, no part of a player’s wheelchair shall protrude beyond the imaginary extension of the centre line of the table. If it does, the umpire shall award the point to the opposing pair.

If both players or pairs are in a wheelchair, the player or the pair score a point if:

1. the opponent does not maintain a minimum contact with the seat or cushion(s), with the back of the thigh, when the ball is struck.
2. the opponent touches the table with either hand before striking the ball.
3. the opponent’s footrest or foot touches the floor during play.

5. Equipment and Playing Conditions

Table Tennis equipment consists of :
– A Ball
– 1 bat per player
– A Table with a Net

A player may not normally wear any part of a tracksuit during play. A player with a physical disability, either in a wheelchair or standing, may wear the trousers portion of a tracksuit during play, but jeans are not permitted.

The international rules specify that the game is played with a sphere having a mass of 2.7 grams (0.095 oz) and a diameter of 40 millimetres (1.57 in). The rules say that the ball shall bounce up 24–26 cm (9.4–10.2 in) when dropped from a height of 30.5 cm (12.0 in) onto a standard steel block thereby having a coefficient of restitution of 0.89 to 0.92. The ball is made of celluloid plastic as of 2015, colored white or orange, with a matte finish.

The choice of ball color is made according to the table color and its surroundings. For example, a white ball is easier to see on a green or blue table than it is on a grey table. Manufacturers often indicate the quality of the ball with a star rating system, usually from one to three, three being the highest grade. As this system is not standard across manufacturers, the only way a ball may be used in official competition is upon ITTF approval  (the ITTF approval can be seen printed on the ball).

The 40 mm ball was introduced after the 2000 Summer Olympics.

The table is 2.74 m (9.0 ft) long, 1.525 m (5.0 ft) wide, and 76 cm (2.5 ft) high with any continuous material so long as the table yields a uniform bounce of about 23 cm (9.1 in) when a standard ball is dropped onto it from a height of 30 cm (11.8 in), or about 77%. The table or playing surface is uniformly dark coloured and matte, divided into two halves by a net at 15.25 cm (6.0 in) in height. The ITTF approves only wooden tables or their derivates. Concrete tables with a steel net or a solid concrete partition are sometimes available in outside public spaces, such as parks.

Table legs shall be at least 40 cm from the end line of the table for wheelchair players. In international competitions, the playing space is not less than 14m long, 7m wide and the flooring shall not be concrete. The space for wheelchair events may be reduced to 8m long and 6m wide. The flooring may be of concrete for wheelchair events, which is prohibited on other occasions.

Players are equipped with a laminated wooden racket covered with rubber on one or two sides depending on the grip of the player. The ITTF uses the term “racket”, though “bat” is common in Britain, and “paddle” in the U.S.

The wooden portion of the racket, often referred to as the “blade”, commonly features anywhere between one and seven plies of wood, though cork, glass fiber, carbon fiber, aluminum fiber, and Kevlar are sometimes used. According to the ITTF regulations, at least 85% of the blade by thickness shall be of natural wood. The average size of the blade is about 17 centimetres (6.7 in) long and 15 centimetres (5.9 in) wide. Although the official restrictions only focus on the flatness and rigidness of the blade itself, these dimensions are optimal for most play styles.

Table tennis regulations allow different surfaces on each side of the racket. Various types of surfaces provide various levels of spin or speed, and in some cases they nullify spin. For example, a player may have a rubber that provides much spin on one side of their racket, and one that provides no spin on the other. By flipping the racket in play, different types of returns are possible. To help a player distinguish between the rubber used by his opposing player, international rules specify that one side must be red while the other side must be black. The player has the right to inspect his opponent’s racket before a match to see the type of rubber used and what colour it is. Despite high speed play and rapid exchanges, a player can see clearly what side of the racket was used to hit the ball. Current rules state that, unless damaged in play, the racket cannot be exchanged for another racket at any time during a match.

Wheelchairs must have at least two large wheels and one small wheel. If the wheels on the player’s wheelchair become dislodged and the wheelchair has no more than two wheels, then the rally must be stopped immediately and a point awarded to his or her opponent.

The height of one or maximum two cushions is limited to 15 cm in playing conditions with no other addition to the wheelchair. In team and class events, no part of the body above the knees may be attached to the chair as this could improve balance.

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