Editing Table tennis (section)

== Types of strokes ==
Table tennis strokes generally break down into offensive and defensive categories.

=== Offensive strokes ===

==== Hit ====
Also known as speed drive, a direct hit on the ball propelling it forward back to the opponent. This stroke differs from speed drives in other racket sports like tennis because the racket is primarily ''[[perpendicular]]'' to the direction of the stroke and most of the energy applied to the ball results in ''speed'' rather than ''spin'', creating a shot that does not arc much, but is fast enough that it can be difficult to return. A speed drive is used mostly for keeping the ball in play, applying pressure on the opponent, and potentially opening up an opportunity for a more powerful attack.

==== Loop ====
Perfected during the 1960s,<ref name=H2/><ref name="Hudetz">{{cite web|url=http://blog.tabletennis11.com/how-topspin-revolutionized-table-tennis|title=A History Lesson: How Topspin Revolutionized Table Tennis|last=Hudetz|first=Radivoj|date=17 October 2017|work=Tabletennis11|access-date=2 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190306044632/http://blog.tabletennis11.com/how-topspin-revolutionized-table-tennis|archive-date=6 March 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> the loop is essentially the reverse of the chop. The racket is ''[[Parallel (geometry)|parallel]]'' to the direction of the stroke ("closed") and the racket thus ''grazes'' the ball, resulting in a large amount of topspin. A good loop drive will arc quite a bit, and once striking the opponent's side of the table will jump forward, much like a kick serve in tennis. Most professional players nowadays, such as [[Ding Ning]], [[Timo Boll]] and [[Zhang Jike]], primarily use loop for offense.

==== Counter-hit ====
The counter-hit is usually a counterattack against drives, normally high loop drives. The racket is held closed and near to the ball, which is hit with a short movement "off the bounce" (immediately after hitting the table) so that the ball travels faster to the other side. [[Kenta Matsudaira]] is known for primarily using counter-hit for offense.

==== Flip ====
When a player tries to attack a ball that has not bounced beyond the edge of the table, the player does not have the room to wind up in a ''backswing''. The ball ''may still be attacked'', however, and the resulting shot is called a flip because the backswing is compressed into a quick wrist action. A flip is not a single stroke and can resemble either a loop drive or a loop in its characteristics. What identifies the stroke is that the backswing is compressed into a short wrist flick.

==== Smash ====
A player will typically execute a smash when the opponent has returned a ball that bounces too high or too close to the net. It is nearly always done with a forehand stroke. ''Smashing'' uses rapid acceleration to impart as much speed on the ball as possible so that the opponent cannot react in time. The racket is generally perpendicular to the direction of the stroke. Because the speed is the main aim of this shot, the spin on the ball is often minimal, although it can be applied as well. An offensive table tennis player will think of a rally as a build-up to a winning smash. Smash is used more often with penhold grip.

=== Defensive strokes ===

==== Push ====
The push (or "slice" in Asia) is usually used for keeping the point alive and creating offensive opportunities. A push resembles a tennis slice: the racket cuts underneath the ball, imparting backspin and causing the ball to float slowly to the other side of the table. A push can be difficult to attack because the backspin on the ball causes it to drop toward the table upon striking the opponent's racket. In order to attack a push, a player must usually loop (if the push is long) or flip (if the push is short) the ball back over the net. Often, the best option for beginners is to simply push the ball back again, resulting in pushing rallies. Against good players, it may be the worst option because the opponent will counter with a loop, putting the first player in a defensive position. Pushing can have advantages in some circumstances, such as when the opponent makes easy mistakes.

==== Chop ====
A chop is the defensive, backspin counterpart to the offensive loop drive.<ref name=H89>{{Harvnb |Hodges|1993|p=89}}</ref> A chop is essentially a bigger, heavier push, taken well back from the table. The racket face points primarily horizontally, perhaps a little bit upward, and the direction of the stroke is straight down. The object of a defensive chop is to match the topspin of the opponent's shot with backspin. A good chop will float nearly horizontally back to the table, in some cases having so much backspin that the ball actually ''rises''. Such a chop can be ''extremely'' difficult to return due to its enormous amount of backspin. Some defensive players can also impart no-spin or sidespin variations of the chop. Some famous choppers include [[Joo Sae-hyuk]] and [[Wu Yang]].

==== Block ====
A block is executed by simply placing the racket in front of the ball right after the ball bounces; thus, the ball rebounds back toward the opponent with nearly as much energy as it came in with. This requires precision, since the ball's spin, speed, and location all influence the correct angle of a block. It is very possible for an opponent to execute a perfect loop, drive, or smash, only to have the blocked shot come back just as fast. Due to the power involved in offensive strokes, often an opponent simply cannot recover quickly enough to return the blocked shot, especially if the block is aimed at an unexpected side of the table. Blocks almost always produce the same spin as was received, many times topspin.

==== Lob ====
The defensive lob propels the ball about five metres in height, only to land on the opponent's side of the table with great amounts of spin.<ref name=H96>{{Harvnb |Hodges|1993|p=96}}</ref> The stroke itself consists of lifting the ball to an enormous height before it falls back to the opponent's side of the table. A lob can have nearly any kind of spin. Though the opponent may ''smash'' the ball hard and fast, a good defensive lob could be more difficult to return due to the unpredictability and heavy amounts of the spin on the ball.<ref name=H96/> Thus, though backed off the table by tens of feet and running to reach the ball, a good defensive player can still win the point using good lobs. The lob is used less frequently by professional players. A notable exception is [[Michael Maze]].{{cn|date=November 2024}}