Anyone who has ever played a game of ping-pong knows that on the surface the sport itself is very simple.
In fact, it is so simple that many people picture it like this:
To fully understand how much table tennis has evolved over the years however, one must look at the impact of technology, which in the past few decades has allowed table tennis to reach its fullest potential.
Back in the day, ping-pong paddles did not have any fancy sponges or sticky rubber. The wooden “bat” (for all the Europeans readers) only had a thin, fine-grade sandpaper cover that allowed for very little friction with the ball, resulting in practically no spin during matches.