Table tennis, also known as ping-pong and whiff-whaff, is a sport in which two or four players hit a lightweight ball, also known as the ping-pong ball, back and forth across a table using small solid rackets. The game takes place on a hard table divided by a net. Except for the initial serve, the rules are generally as follows: players must allow a ball played toward them to bounce once on their side of the table and must return it so that it bounces on the opposite side at least once. A point is scored when a player fails to return the ball within the rules. Play is fast and demands quick reactions. Spinning the ball alters its trajectory and limits an opponent's options, giving the hitter a great advantage.
Ryu Seung-min is a Korean table tennis player who won the gold medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics in the men's singles competition. His opponent was Wang Hao, a top-seeded player from Chinese national team. Along the way, he defeated 1992 Olympic champion Jan-Ove Waldner with 4–1. At the 2008 and 2012 Summer Olympics he was part of the South Korean team that won the bronze and silver medals respectively. Ryu is ranked twenty-fifth in the world as of July 2013. In 2016, Ryu became a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), he was a member and Chair of the Athletes' Commission of the South Korean National Olympic Committee from 2016 to 2019. Since 2018, he counts among the ITTF Foundation Ambassadors, promoting sport for development and peace.
The 2006 World Junior Table Tennis Championships were held in Cairo, Egypt from 10 to 17 December 2006. It was organised by the Egyptian Table Tennis Federation under the auspices and authority of the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF). The fourth edition of the tournaments consisted of mixed doubles competitions and singles, doubles and team competitions for both boys and girls.
Chen Qi is a retired Chinese table tennis player. He won the gold medal in men's doubles at the 2004 Summer Olympics with Ma Lin, and is the youngest male ever to hold this title at age 20. In December 2013, Chen Qi announced his retirement and became the head coach of the Jiangsu provincial table tennis team.
The ITTF World Youth Championships is an annual table tennis competition for juniors under 19 and under 15. From 2003 to 2019, the World Junior Table Tennis Championships was held for juniors under 18. The ITTF changed the U18 age group into U19 in 2020, and implemented the new World Youth Championships for U19 and U15 in 2021. The World Youth Championships is currently composed of two team events and five individual events in each of the U19 and U15 age groups.
Ma Long is a Chinese table tennis player and the reigning Olympic singles champion. Widely regarded as the greatest table tennis player of all time, he is the first and only male player to complete a career Double Grand Slam as the Olympic gold medalist in men's singles in 2016 and 2020. He held the ranking of number 1 for a total of 64 months, the most by any male in the history of table tennis. He is also champion in World Championships in men's singles in 2015, 2017 and 2019. His records led the International Table Tennis Federation to nickname him as "The Dictator" and "The Dragon". Since 2014, he has been the captain of the Chinese national table tennis men's team.
Guo Yan is a Chinese table tennis player. Two-time winner of World Cup in 2006 and 2010. In February 2011, she ranked 2nd in the ITTF world ranking.
Jun Mizutani is a retired Japanese table tennis player. He became the youngest Japanese national champion at the age of 17. His consecutive singles titles at the national championships from 2007 to 2011 made him the first man to win the event five times in a row.
Mima Ito is a Japanese table tennis player. She won a bronze medal in the Women's Team event at the 2016 Summer Olympics when she was 15 years old. At the 2020 Summer Olympics, she won the gold medal with her partner Jun Mizutani in the Mixed Doubles event which made its debut, a bronze medal in the Women's singles, and a silver medal in the Women's Team event.
Hina Hayata is a Japanese international table tennis player. She is the most successful player on the ITTF Challenge Series since its inception in 2017. Owing to her stature, she is able to generate powerful spins on both wings more so than most female players.
Miyu Nagasaki is a Japanese table tennis player.
Hitomi Sato is a Japanese table tennis player. She won a bronze medal with Honoka Hashimoto at the 2019 World Table Tennis Championships.
The 2024 World Team Table Tennis Championships are scheduled to be held in Busan, South Korea from 16 to 25 February 2024. Quarterfinalists of the 2024 World Championships will be qualified to the 2024 Summer Olympics.
Miyuu Kihara is a Japanese table tennis player.
The 2010 World Junior Table Tennis Championships were held in Bratislava, Slovakia, from 4 to 11 December 2010. It was organised by the Slovak Table Tennis Federation under the auspices and authority of the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF).
The 2008 World Junior Table Tennis Championships were held in Madrid, Spain, from 6 to 13 December 2008. It was organised by the Real Federacion Española de Tenis de Mesa under the auspices and authority of the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF).
The 2005 World Junior Table Tennis Championships were held in Linz, Austria, from 10 to 17 December 2005. It was organised by the Österreichischer Tischtennis Verband under the auspices and authority of the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF).
The 12th Asian Junior Table Tennis Championships 2006 were held in Kitakyushu, Japan, from 25 to 30 July 2006. It was organised by Japan Table Tennis Association under the authority of the Asian Table Tennis Union (ATTU) and International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF).
The 11th Asian Junior Table Tennis Championships 2005 were held in New Delhi, India, from 23 to 28 July 2005. It was organised by the Table Tennis Federation of India under the authority of the Asian Table Tennis Union (ATTU) and International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF).
The 10th Asian Junior Table Tennis Championships 2004 were held in New Delhi, India, from 19 to 24 July 2004. It was organised by the Table Tennis Federation of India under the authority of the Asian Table Tennis Union (ATTU) and International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF).
China 
South Korea 
Chinese Taipei 
Japan 
Croatia 
Romania