Pingis

Pingis is the term used in Sweden and some Nordic countries for the sport commonly known in English as table tennis. It is a fast-paced indoor racket game played on a standard table with a lightweight ball, requiring quick reflexes, precision, and spin.

Equipment and playing area: Pingis is played on a rectangular table 2.74 meters long and 1.525 meters wide, divided by a net that is 15.25 centimeters high. Players use solid paddles with rubber surfaces to strike a small, celluloid or plastic ball, typically 40 millimeters in diameter and weighing about 2.7 grams. Balls are usually orange or white. Matches are governed by official rules established by the sport’s international federation, with equipment standards maintained to ensure uniform play.

Rules and play: A rally begins with a serve, and points are won by landing the ball on the opponent’s side without a valid return. Games are commonly played to 11 points, with players needing a margin of two points to win. Service alternates every two points (in doubles, service passes between teammates), and players switch sides after each game. The sport emphasizes spin, speed, and control, and a wide range of strokes, including topspin drives, pushes, and loops, is used at all levels of play.

Organization and history: Pingis traces its modern origins to late 19th-century England, with commercial popularity under the name Ping-Pong in the early 20th century. The international governing body, the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF), was founded in 1926. Pingis/table tennis became an Olympic sport in 1988, and it today features extensive international competition at the world, continental, and national levels. In everyday language, “pingis” is particularly common in Sweden, where the term denotes both casual and organized play.