Purchasing table tennis balls should be simple. But sadly, it's a no! There are numerous varieties of balls available, including competition balls, training balls, and inexpensive "just for fun" balls. Celluloid is used in some of the balls. Non-flammable plastic is used for the other balls.
So, which balls should you
buy? In this blog article, We will tell you about the range of balls and
provide specific recommendations for the best competition and training balls
available. We will also give some suggestions regarding which balls to purchase
for casual play.
Table tennis ball transformation
Over the last 20 years, table
tennis balls have undergone two notable alterations. The ball's diameter was
raised from 38mm to 40mm in 2000. To make it more appealing to spectators, the
size was raised. The larger ball is slower and spins less, implying longer
rallies in principle, although I'm not sure this has actually been confirmed.
The substance used to create
table tennis balls was changed from celluloid to a non-flammable plastic in
2014/2015 (commonly referred to as "plastic balls," "poly
balls," or "40+ balls"). These balls are slightly larger than
the 40mm celluloid balls, but the key difference is the material used to create
them. The quality of the new plastic balls was initially poor, causing a lot of
dissatisfaction and rage among the players.
However, in the last five
years, the quality of modern plastic balls has vastly improved, particularly
with the introduction of ABS material.
The new plastic ball was
widely feared to have a significant impact on the game. However, this has not
occurred. Professionals continue to assault in the same manner. At the amateur
level, I don't believe most players have noticed a significant change.
Balls for competition
If you play competitive table
tennis (or aspire to), you should definitely use the new plastic table tennis
balls. The best method to tell if you're using the new plastic balls is to look
for the word "40+" printed on them.
The + symbol indicates that the
size has changed. It's most likely the old celluloid ball if your ball only
says 40 or 40mm without the Plus mark. So look for the 40+ emblem on the balls
you buy. So, which competition balls should you buy? Let's begin with a
disclaimer. We haven't tried all of the plastic balls yet. So just because a
ball isn't on our list doesn't imply it's a bad ball. It's possible you haven't
tried it yet. However, we have used all of the balls listed below and highly
recommend them.
● JOOLA Prime 40+
This is our favourite 3 star
competition table tennis ball right now. After
German Bundesliga club ASV Grünwettersbach in May 2019, many people
began utilising JOOLA Prime. JOOLA Prime is made of ABS, which provides better
roundness and durability. You can produce a lot of spin. Many might have
guessed that we've grown accustomed to the new balls being slower and less
spinny, but when using JOOLA Prime for topspin attacks, the ball truly kicks
off the table. Spin has returned to town! JOOLA Prime is tough, quick, spinny,
and long-lasting. It's a good ball.
● Nittaku Premium 40+
This table tennis ball is
likewise of exceptional quality. We initially encountered this ball in a
tournament in 2016 and was immediately impressed. It was like playing with the
old celluloid balls all over again. All teams at my club (Cambridge-Parkside)
used Nittaku Premium table tennis balls in league matches from 2016 to 2019.
They have a constant bounce, are easy to spin, and rarely break. Nittaku
Premium is on our top recommendation for competition-quality balls.
● Double Fish V40+
This is often regarded as the
greatest 40+ ball available. The Champions Edition, which was previously only
accessible for big Pro Tour events, is now available for League play. The
gripping surface of the Double Fish 3* balls allows you to generate a lot of
spin when looping, chopping, flicking, or serving. Strongly suggested.
Balls for training
A large box of training balls
is useful if you are serious about developing. This will assist you in being
more productive throughout training sessions (less time picking just one ball
off the floor). Multi-ball training is possible. Solo service practice might
also help you enhance your serves in the game. There are many good quality
training balls available (recommendations below) that are far more economical
and suitable for training drills, multi-ball practise, and serving practice.
Here are some suggestions for
table tennis training balls to consider:
Training balls for table tennis
● JOOLA
Magic training balls
● Impact
Premium Table Tennis Training Balls
● Cornilleau
ABS Evolution Training Table Tennis Balls
Balls for recreational use
If you're just having a good
time, it's not necessary to use the highest-quality balls. It makes no
difference whether the ball is made of celluloid or the new plastic material.
My only piece of advice is to stay away from the really, really inexpensive
balls. These have a low bounce and are readily broken. Any of them will suffice
if you only need a few balls with good durability, consistent bounce, and a
reasonable pricing.
