Editing Table tennis (section)

===Rule changes===
[[File:Assortment of 40 mm table tennis balls.jpg|thumb|Assortment of 40 mm table tennis balls]]
After the [[Table tennis at the 2000 Summer Olympics|2000 Olympics]] in [[Sydney]], the ITTF instituted several rule changes that were aimed at making table tennis more viable as a televised spectator sport.<ref name="Clemett">{{cite web |url=http://www.ittf.com/museum/ColinEvolution.pdf |title=Evolution of the Laws of Table Tennis and the Regulations for International Competitions |first=Colin |last=Clemett |work=ITTF Museum |publisher=ITTF |access-date=29 August 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100331202309/http://www.ittf.com/museum/ColinEvolution.pdf |archive-date=31 March 2010}}</ref><ref name=bbaol>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=41RIAAAAIBAJ&sjid=iRQEAAAAIBAJ&pg=2420%2C1176846 |newspaper=New Straits Times |location=Malaysia |title=Bigger ball after Olympics |date=24 February 2000 |page=39 |access-date=13 December 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222174229/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=41RIAAAAIBAJ&sjid=iRQEAAAAIBAJ&pg=2420%2C1176846 |archive-date=22 December 2015 |url-status=live }}</ref> First, the older {{convert|38|mm|2|abbr=on}} balls were officially replaced by {{convert|40|mm|2|abbr=on}} balls in October 2000.<ref name="ITTFhistm"/><ref name=USATTBall>{{cite web|url=http://www.usatt.org/news/40mm_5-08-00.html|title=Board of Directors Passes Use of 40mm Ball|publisher=USA Table Tennis|access-date=29 August 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100619053012/http://usatt.org/news/40mm_5-08-00.html|archive-date=19 June 2010|url-status=live}}</ref> This increased the ball's air resistance and effectively slowed down the game. By that time, players had begun increasing the thickness of the fast [[Sponge (material)|sponge]] layer on their paddles, which made the game excessively fast and difficult to watch on television. A few months later, the ITTF changed from a 21-point to an 11-point scoring system (and the serve rotation was reduced from five points to two), effective in September 2001.<ref name=ITTFhistm/> This was intended to make games more fast-paced and exciting. The ITTF also changed the rules on service to prevent a player from hiding the ball during service, in order to increase the average length of rallies and to reduce the server's advantage, effective in 2002.<ref name=stpwnr>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=GnArAAAAIBAJ&sjid=eHgFAAAAIBAJ&pg=6023%2C3879983 |newspaper=New Straits Times |location=Malaysia |title=Sport takes plunge with new rule |date=27 April 2001 |page=40 |access-date=13 December 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222233151/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=GnArAAAAIBAJ&sjid=eHgFAAAAIBAJ&pg=6023%2C3879983 |archive-date=22 December 2015 |url-status=live }}</ref> For the opponent to have time to realize a serve is taking place, the ball must be tossed a minimum of {{convert|16|cm}} in the air. The ITTF states that all events after July 2014 are played with a new poly material ball.<ref name="Board of Directors Meeting">{{cite web |url=http://www.ittf.com/museum/archivesnewproto/BoD/2012%20BoD%20Minutes%20final.pdf |title=BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING |publisher=ITTF |access-date=13 October 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140211033949/http://www.ittf.com/museum/archivesnewproto/BoD/2012%20BoD%20Minutes%20final.pdf |archive-date=11 February 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://tabletennis.about.com/od/beginnersguide/a/history_of_tt.htm|title=What Are the Origins of Table Tennis?|access-date=29 August 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110510220345/http://tabletennis.about.com/od/beginnersguide/a/history_of_tt.htm|archive-date=10 May 2011|url-status=live}}</ref>