Table tennis: why table tennis players regularly touch the table during matches ?

Avant de servir et entre les points, les pongistes s’essuient souvent la main sur la table. Midi Libre – DORIAN CAYUELA

Table tennis players regularly wipe their hands on the table during matches. Find out why.

Table tennis is gaining more and more media attention in France, notably thanks to the emergence of the Lebrun brothers, the two phenomena of French and world ping.

Recent observers have discovered a surprising tic during ping matches. Between points, players regularly wipe the flat of their hands on the table. A gesture of superstition ? A way to destabilize the opponent ?

Prohibition of wiping on clothing

None of that. It’s only for sweating. Wearing a racket makes you sweat and table tennis players are not allowed to wipe on their clothes. It is therefore often on the table, in the area close to the net, that they try to dry their hand to get a better grip.

The area close to the net is preferred to avoid putting perspiration on the table and therefore, therefore, on the ball.