Technical and tactical performance of top-class senior, junior and cadet table tennis players

In the recent sports science literature, it is possible to notice that research branches related to performance analysis are widely developing. The aim of this study was to analyze technical and tactical differences among male table tennis athletes of three categories: top-class world players (T), elite European juniors (J) and elite European cadets (C). 20 matches were randomly selected (T:10, J:5 and C:5). Selected performance indicators were: stroke type, footwork type, and shot outcome. Selected matches have been watched in slow motion (0.2X) by an experienced table tennis coach, who collected the indicators of interest. The data were analyzed with the Excel software using contingency tables. The strokes most used by T were top forehand (19 %), top counter top forehand (16 %) and block backhand (14 %). A similar distribution was observed for J: top forehand (21 %), top counter top forehand (15 %) and block backhand (15 %). Conversely, C showed the top forehand as the most used stroke (22 %), followed however by the push forehand (16 %). Concerning the footwork type, the most used one was the one step (T:32 %, J:28 % and C:31 %). Differences among groups were observed for the chass\ue8 (T: 24 %, J:15 % and C:15 %), and stroke without step (T:18 %, J:29 % and C:28 %). Strong associations were observed between stroke and footwork types, and between stroke types and shot outcome, with the top forehand and top counter top forehand being the most successful strokes in all the groups. By studying the relationships between strokes, footwork types and shot outcomes in table tennis athletes of three different categories, it is possible to detect differences in the play style among the three categories of players. This analysis can help to improve the technical and the tactical skills of players to obtain better competitive results

Fifty Years of Top-Class Table Tennis World Ranking

Ivan Malagoli Lanzoni1, Rocco Di Michele2 and Gabriele Semprini2 1 School of Pharmacy, Biotechnology and Sport Science, University of Bologna, Italy 2 Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Italy FIFTY YEARS OF TOP-CLASS TABLE TENNIS WORLD RANKING Abstract The aim of this study was to analyse of some aspects of the world table tennis rankings in order to better understand the historical and technical evolution of this sport. One world ranking for every year from 1967 to 2017 was examined by identifying the first 10 male (M) and female (F) players. For each player the, handedness (left- or right-handed), grip (classic or pen-holder), style of play (offensive or defensive), and nationality, were recorded. All data are presented as percentages. Left-handed are overrepresented (M: 25.4; F: 22.6) with respect to the normal population (10-13%). The classic grip is the most used (M: 72.8; F: 72.5). In M players, a slight increase was observed while in F since 1985 until today the classic grip showed an important increase. The predominant playing style is offensive (M: 93.4; F: 88.9) with an increasing trend in M and F. In M the most represented nation is China (39.6) followed by Sweden (12.8), Japan (7.8), Korea (5.1), Germany (4.9), Yugoslavia (4.3). In F: China (50.4), Japan (8.8), Korea (7.3), PRK (4.6), USSR (3.1), Singapore (2.9), and Hungary (2.4). In the last 50 years the Asian athletes have dominated the world rankings (M: 56.5; F: 50.4). This domination started in 2003 for M, after a period of substantial balance with Europeans and for F it constantly increases since 1971. Asians are followed by Europeans (M: 43.3; F: 18.8) and Americans (M: 0.2; F: 0.1)

Reliability of selected table tennis performance indicators

Over the last few years, scientific research in sport has focused in detail on a branch of performance analysis, namely notational analysis. Notational analysis allows the collection of interesting data about matches and also provides good feedback information to improve technical and tactical aspects. However, the analysts have to select the most important performance indicators and first of all, tehy must evaluate the reliability of the data. The aim of this study is to evaluate the intra and inter-observer reliability of some of the most important performance indicators in table tennis. Inter-observer reliability: 10 highly experienced coaches (third national level, high level) have analysed the first set of men's table tennis and noted: player footwork/step, stroke modality and impact point of the ball on the table (6 areas). Intra and inter-observer reliability have been evaluated by Krippendorff's Alpha, calculated through the statistical software R. Krippendorff's Alpha could range from 1 (perfect reliability) to -1 (total disagreement). A good reliability is attained for Alpha= 0.8. Concerning the inter-observer reliability, the values of Alpha were 0.894 for different kinds of stroke, and 0.469 for efficacy (3 levels: +, 0 and -). The intra-observer reliability analysis showed the following values: Alpha= 0.092 for strokes, Alpha=0.99 for different kinds of step and Alpha = 0.997 for impact point fo the ball on the table. The only performance indicators without good reliability were connected with the evaluation of the efficacy of intermediate strokes. The other indicators, assessed by inter and intra-operator comparisons, showed very good reliability. These results allow us to state that the selected performance indicators can be taken into account in table tennis notational analysis

Performance indicators in table tennis: a review of the literature

In the recent scientific literature in the field of sport sciences, research branches on performance analysis are widely developing. Hughes and Bartlett (2002) stated that sport biomechanists and notational analysts are concerned with the analysis and improvement of sport performance. They analyzed the structure of sports, distinguishing: technical, tactical and biomechanical indicators. The aim of this study is to summarize the most important table tennis performance indicators proposed in the literature. The authors commonly divide the performance indicators in different categories: Player: gender, nationality, height, weight, use fo right or left hand, grip (pen holder/classic), style of play (allround, defensive, etc.), best ranking and current rangking, etc. Technique: strokes (service, push, top, top counter top, block, flick, drive, smash, lob, forehand or backhand) and steps (one step, chass\ue8, slide, crossover and pivot). Tactic: impact position of the ball on the table (six areas), type of error, efficacy, time-out, play time (inter-serve times, rally time and inter-point time) and action outcome. Equipment, playing conditions and facilities: table, ball, net, floor, size of the gym, training hall, lightning, transports (jet lag), etc. Performance indicators provide a good tool from a technical and tactical point of view for coaches and performance analysts, to improve training and agonistic results. It is possible to have a full and correct analysis of the data by using a statistical software. However, a lot of problems cannot easily be solved by using statistics, as sport is the complex result of interactiong human behaviours

Do left-handed players have a strategic advantage in table tennis?

The reasons for the overrepresentation of left-handed players (LHps) in some sports are widely discussed in the literature. In light of this debate, this study aimed to assess the associations between players\u2019 handedness and selected performance indicators in table tennis, where LHps represent 25% of top-level players. A notational analysis was conducted on 20 men\u2019s matches including any combination of players\u2019 handedness. Participants were in the first 150 positions of the ITTF world ranking at the moment the matches were played. The table area of ball bouncing after serving, and the shot type used by the receiving and subsequently the serving player, were recorded for 1515 rallies. Each half of the table was divided into six equal rectangular areas. There was a significant effect of players\u2019 handedness on percentage of ball bouncing in different areas. Specifically, LHps showed a greater capacity (or choice) to adjust the serve (in terms of areas of ball bouncing) than right-handed players (RHps) according to the opponent\u2019s handedness. Furthermore, LHps used offensive shots more frequently. In conclusion, both play strategy and characteristics such as higher offensiveness, together may contribute to the success of LHps in table tennis. These findings emphasise the need for a multifactorial approach in future research aiming to understand why LHps may be advantaged in different sports

Kinematic analysis of the racket position during the table tennis top spin forehand stroke

The present study aims to assess the position of the racket, and racket height with respect to the floor, during the table tennis top spin stroke. A stereophotogrammetric system (Smart-D, BTS, 8 cameras, 550 Hz) was used to track the table tennis racket during cross-court (CC) and long-line (LL) shots. Ten national level players completed ten CC and ten LL top spin strokes responding to a robot machine. The racket motion throughout the shot showed specific technical characteristics: The minimum height of the racket was detected during the backswing phase; racket height at the end of backswing phase (maximal distance racket/table) was higher than the minimum; height at the racket maximum velocity (ball/racket impact) was greater than the net’s height. Furthermore, the maximum height of the racket occurred at the end of the forward swing. No differences in these kinematic variables between CC and LL were found. Conversely, a higher inclination of the racket at the moment of maximum speed was detected in LL vs. CC. From a practical perspective, the present findings suggest that table tennis players need to introduce specific exercises in order to increase the height of the racket during the forehand top spin stroke, to improve its effectiveness