Where does this come from, and can I check it?

The size went up from 38 millimetres in 2000 to slow the game slightly. The figure is taken from International Table Tennis Federation, which is linked in full on this page. Every fact on Mondo Knows names its source rather than repeating an unsourced claim.

Is this really a sports fact?

Yes. It sits on the Sports shelf, one of 2,600 sourced facts grouped into space, animals, the human body, history, science and more. Category pages collect every fact in the same field.

What else can I read about it?

The links under the fact point to a quiz, game, puzzle or calculator on the same subject, and the shelf below shows related facts. The wording here is original, and quoted phrases are marked as quotations.

Mondo Knows Facts

A table tennis ball is 40 millimetres across

The size went up from 38 millimetres in 2000 to slow the game slightly A bigger ball has more air resistance, which reduced spin and made rallies easier to follow on television. The ball weighs 2.7 grams and must be matte orange or white. The net is 15.25 centimetres high and splits a table 2.74 metres long. It sits in Mondo's sports collection, one of 200 facts that each trace back to the reference below.

Where this comes from

International Table Tennis Federation

Facts that can change over time are reviewed and updated. If something here looks wrong, Mondo would rather know than be confidently incorrect.

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Sports trivia

More facts like this

Table tennis bats have two different rubber surfacesPlayers flip the bat to hide which side is about to strike the ball Rugby goal posts stand 5.6 metres apartThe crossbar is 3 metres above the ground and the posts have no fixed top A golf hole is 108 millimetres acrossThat is four and a quarter inches, a size fixed in 1891 at Musselburgh Table tennis games run to 11 pointsThe change came in 2001, along with serving every two points instead of five A table tennis serve must toss the ball upIt must rise at least 16 centimetres up from a flat, open palm China has won most Olympic table tennis goldsThe sport joined the Games in 1988 and China has taken the large majority of titles

Tags: table-tennis, equipment, measurement

A table tennis ball is 40 millimetres across: the short answers

Where does this come from, and can I check it?: The size went up from 38 millimetres in 2000 to slow the game slightly. The figure is taken from International Table Tennis Federation, which is linked in full on this page. Every fact on Mondo Knows names its source rather than repeating an unsourced claim.
Is this really a sports fact?: Yes. It sits on the Sports shelf, one of 2,600 sourced facts grouped into space, animals, the human body, history, science and more. Category pages collect every fact in the same field.
What else can I read about it?: The links under the fact point to a quiz, game, puzzle or calculator on the same subject, and the shelf below shows related facts. The wording here is original, and quoted phrases are marked as quotations.