Average ball speed
Table Tennis Discussion
Last updated 6 years ago
Fesih TOPDEMİR Asked 6 years ago
Hi coaches
What is the the average speed of the ball (kmh) in the professional table tennis match
average speed topspin= ?
average speed backhand stroke= ?
average speed smash= ?
There is an information on the net When a ‘World Fastest Smash Competition’ was conducted, Lark Brandt, a little known New Zealander, won the competition with a record smash speed of 112.5 kilometers per hour
But I don't wonder fastest smash I wonder in pro game average ball speed (for example ma long and zhang jike's matches) look at this video Dimitri https://youtu.be/TscGctsH5zE
Thanks a lot love from Turkey
Alois Rosario Answered 6 years ago
Hi Fesih,
It is surprising that the fastest is only 112.5km/h.
I haven't seen any good data on speeds during a game.
It would be interesting to see if anyone has any data on this.
Thoughts on this question
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eugene lu Posted 6 years ago
That's not right. If the fastest speed us only 112.5, then why is table tennis the fastest sport in the world. Badminton fastest smash is 408 but it's not the fastest sport.
Fesih TOPDEMİR Posted 6 years ago
I dont agree with you eugene lu did you look dimitri's video? at there he smash 122 kmh https://youtu.be/TscGctsH5zE
eugene lu Posted 6 years ago
But I believe it's much faster that that. And it's you who said the faster smash being 112.5
Fesih TOPDEMİR Posted 6 years ago
No I only put here on web information....I dont know dimitris smash is legal maybe record must be in competition....
Fesih TOPDEMİR Posted 6 years ago
Hi I am very glad to my question is discussion on ask the coach Show...thank you...( I laughed a lot for my name pronounce by the way jeff very perfect pronounce my name :)) My name is strange even in Turkey....My mother does not even know the meaning of my name....once she said me we have put this name because it sounded nice :))
Alois Rosario from PingSkills Posted 6 years ago
Well done Jeff!
Jean Balthazar Posted 6 years ago
To Eugene: There might be a confusion about what is meant by "table tennis is the fasted sport". It doesn't mean that the table tennis ball travels the fastest. It means that table tennis is the racket sport in which the time between when you hit the ball and the time you receive it back again is the shortest. I.e. it is the racket sport where you need the fastest reaction time. Tennismen serve way over 200km/h, but the distance between the players is much bigger, hence the time available to react is longer.
To Alois: I'm sure you were right at some time in history. I'm pretty sure it's this ##### 40+ plastic ball that brought the speed from 160 down to 120km/h!
Fesih TOPDEMİR Posted 6 years ago
different and a nice perspective Jean...thanks
eugene lu Posted 6 years ago
Actually I already know about this. I just don't think that the fastest attack is only 120km/h. I was thinking it should be around 300-400km/h
Jean Balthazar Posted 6 years ago
Well, when you know that the fastest tennis shot is 260km/h, I'm not too surprised that the table tennis ball only reaches half that number. The ball is so light, the racket head speed is mechanically slower (because it is shorter), and the bat has much less catapulting power.
This being said, if someone had asked me before I knew the answer, I'd probably have guessed that it was a little bit more than 120km/h too.
eugene lu Posted 6 years ago
Tennis is different. The racket is bigger, thus more racket head speed. And tennis players have bigger muscles and tend to use both arms. Table tennis balls are lighter. And shouldn't shouldn't lighter things be faster? I think not. Feathers are lighter than rocks but rocks hit both are being drop at the same time, Rock touches first.
P.s. Jean, if you are interested in talking to me through e-mail, my email is eugenelu3168@yahoo.com.
Walter Lopez Posted 6 years ago
Off topic:
What do you think of "returnboards"?
Do you think they are good for training?
I have the idea to buy one or got some made home, sometimes there is no partners available to play and I can practice alone this way...
eugene lu Posted 6 years ago
That SEEMS like a good idea, tricking people to get one and realize that it's no good.
Jeff Plumb from PingSkills Posted 6 years ago
@Walter - I don't think that return boards are that great. You need quite a bit of skill in order to keep the ball coming back to you. I'd prefer multiball or using a robot.
martinand bernard Posted 6 years ago
yes but it's better than alone and cheeper