Abstract
This study measured 1) the speed and spin differences between the old celluloid versus new plastic table tennis balls at pre ball-table impact and post ball-table impact when projected with topspin at 7.56 m.s-1, and investigated 2) the effect this has on the kinematic responses of 5 elite versus 5 sub-elite players’ forehand topspin in response to topspin and backspin. Plastic balls were lower in both speed and spin at pre and post ball-table impact compared with celluloid balls but the magnitude of change in speed and spin for each ball material differed. During flight before impact, plastic balls lost 3.98% more speed and 1.24% more spin than celluloid balls. Post ball-table impact, plastic balls showed a greater speed increment (0.69%) and smaller spin decrement (0.19%) than celluloid balls. Differences in players’ kinematic responses to the different ball materials were found only when players returned backspin shots. Players supinated their rackets more by 2.23% at ball-racket contact and produced 3.37% less ball spin when returning plastic compared with celluloid balls; an indication of an early adaptation to the lower spin rate of plastic balls. The lack of differences in kinematic response to topspin may be due to the similar changes in speed and spin of both types of balls at ball-table impact. It is not known if a higher initial ball projection velocity would evoke differences in movement responses from the players post ball-table impact but could be explored in future studies.
Highlights
Competitive table-tennis underwent a number of equipment changes over the last two decades that have affected game play (Takeuchi, Kobayashi, Hiruta & Yuza, 2002; Zhang & Hohmann, 2004)
Plastic balls had slower speed and spin during flight pre and post ball-table impact compared with celluloid balls (Table 2)
This study assessed the differences in flight and rebound characteristics of the old celluloid versus new plastic balls when projected in topspin, and the kinematic responses of elite versus sub-elite players’ when performing forehand returns to backspin and topspin of both ball types
Summary
Competitive table-tennis underwent a number of equipment changes over the last two decades that have affected game play (Takeuchi, Kobayashi, Hiruta & Yuza, 2002; Zhang & Hohmann, 2004). In the year 2000, the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) increased the diameter (38 mm to 40 mm) and mass (2.5 g to 2.7 g) of all competition balls. The ITTF reported that the new plastic balls were similar in weight and rebound properties as the old celluloid balls but were slightly larger in diameter and rounder (Küneth, 2017). Given the light-weight and lowdensity characteristics of table tennis balls, any changes in diameter and roundness to a ball are likely to affect its flight trajectory and the interactions between ball, table and racket
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