In the 1880s, Tennis players modified the game to be played indoors on a smaller scale, leading to the creation of table tennis.

In 1883, the adaptation of lawn tennis to the dining table with improvised equipment was mentioned, including the use of Slazenger patent nets for games and the concept of playing tennis on a table.

The name Ping Pong can be traced back to an 1884 song by Harry Dacre. The distinct sound of the celluloid ball bouncing off the drum rackets contributed to the adoption of the name Ping Pong for the game.

In October 9, 1885, Devonshire applied for a patent for his invention of 'Table Tennis'.

On November 24, 1885, the Journal accepted the Provisional Specifications for the invention of 'Table Tennis'.

In January 1887, the concept of a table tennis game by Devonshire was listed as abandoned. There was no evidence of the game being produced, and it is speculated that Jaques may have paid Devonshire for the idea, leading to the development of Jaques' Gossima in 1891.

In 1890, David Foster patented a set in England called Parlour Table Games, which included table versions of Lawn Tennis, Cricket, and Football. The Lawn Tennis game featured strung rackets, a cloth covered rubber ball, a wooden fence, and large side nets.

Jaques of London introduced the GOSSIMA game in 1891, featuring drum style battledores borrowed from the Shuttlecock game, a 50mm webbed wrapped cork ball, and a 30cm high net secured by a belt-like strap under the table. Only 2 examples of this game are known to exist today.

In the early 1900s, the celluloid ball was introduced to the game, providing more bounce compared to the previous rubber or cork balls.

John Jaques claimed that James Devonshire invented Table Tennis in a 1901 interview published in The Echo.

Table tennis, originally called Ping-Pong, was invented in England in the early days of the 20th century. It involved hitting a lightweight hollow ball over a net using small rackets, and the game gained popularity worldwide.

A new Table Tennis Association was founded in 1921, which later became the English Table Tennis Association in 1926.

The Ping-Pong Association was established and later renamed as the Table Tennis Association in 1922, signifying the growing recognition of table tennis as a sport.

The ITTF was established in 1926 as the global governing body for table tennis, responsible for maintaining rankings and organizing major events like the World Table Tennis Championships.

The English Table Tennis Association was established in 1927, signifying the spread of table tennis to various regions around the world.

Victor Barna became the world table tennis champion in men's singles in 1930. He also won titles in men's doubles and mixed doubles during the years 1929-1935.

The United States Table Tennis Association, now known as USA Table Tennis, was formed in 1933.

During the 1937 World Championships, both women's singles finalists defaulted due to a misunderstanding about the time limit law. As a result, Ruth Aarons from the USA and Trude Pritzi from Austria were declared co-champions in 2001.

The first World Championship held outside of Europe took place in Cairo, Egypt in 1939. This event marked a significant milestone in the global expansion of table tennis.

The first Continental Federation for table tennis was founded on December 12, 1943, known as the South American Confederation. This establishment contributed to the growth and organization of the sport in the region.

Angelica Rozeanu-Adelstein from Romania achieved a remarkable feat by winning the World Championships six times in a row. She is also noted as the last non-Asian player to win the female singles title until today.

Hiroji Satoh from Japan made history by becoming the first player to win a World Championship using a racket covered with thick sponge. He is also recognized as the first non-European winner in the sport.

In 1953, China participated in the World Championships for the first time. Their use of thick sponge bats sparked controversies that lasted for several years, impacting the sport's equipment regulations.

Ichiro Ogimura from Japan showcased Japanese dominance in table tennis through technological advancements and rigorous physical training in 1954. His achievements set a benchmark for excellence in the sport.

In 1956, Tomie Okada-Okawa became the first female player from Asia to win the World Championships in table tennis. Her triumph ended the European dominance in women's table tennis on the global stage.

To standardize the effects of the new sandwich or sponge rubber on ping pong paddles and prevent unfair advantages, the International Table Tennis Federation swiftly intervened by regulating the thickness of the rubber used.

The inaugural European Championships took place in Budapest, Hungary in 1958, marking the entry of the USSR onto the international table tennis scene. This event expanded the scope of competitive table tennis in Europe.

Chinese players have won 60% of the men's World Championships since 1959, showcasing their dominance in the sport.

The inaugural All-Africa Championships in table tennis took place in Alexandria, Egypt, in 1962, showcasing the growing popularity and reach of the sport on the African continent.

Ping-Pong diplomacy started in 1971 with a series of table tennis matches between China and the United States. It played a significant role in easing Cold War tensions between the two countries.

During the Cold War era, China and the US utilized table tennis as a means to engage in friendly competition, easing tensions between the two nations.

The first World University Championships in table tennis were held in Hanover, Germany in 1973, providing a platform for university players to showcase their skills on an international level.

The International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) officially received recognition from the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

The inaugural Table Tennis World Cup was held in 1980, with Guo Yuehua of China emerging as the winner of the $12,500 first prize. It marked a significant milestone in the sport.

At the World Championships in Nova Sad, Yugoslavia, Chinese athletes achieved a remarkable feat by winning all seven gold medals.

Table tennis was officially added to the Olympic programme during the 84th session of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

The inaugural World Championships for disabled athletes in table tennis were held in Stoke Mandeville, England.

Since 1988, Chinese players have won a total of 28 out of 32 Olympic Gold medals in Table Tennis, showcasing their dominance in the sport.

In 1990, the Celluloid Ball was introduced in Table Tennis, bringing a new standard to the game with its specific characteristics and performance on the table.

A combined team from North and South Korea achieved victory in the Corbillon Cup at the World Championships in Chiba, Japan.

Jan-Ove Waldner from Sweden achieved the title of Olympic singles champion in table tennis.

In 1993, Larry Hodges published the book 'Table Tennis: Steps to Success' which focuses on the techniques and strategies to improve one's table tennis skills.

In the movie Forrest Gump, there is a memorable scene where the main character, Forrest, plays table tennis. This scene highlights the significance of table tennis in history and its portrayal in a classic film.

China won seven gold medals at the World Championships held in Tianjin, China, marking their second total triumph.

Deng Yaping of China made history by being the first female player to win at the inaugural Women's World Cup in 1996.

The 40 mm table tennis ball was introduced after the 2000 Summer Olympics, replacing the standard 38 mm ball. This change caused controversy, with top players like Vladimir Samsonov expressing concerns.

In September 2001, the ITTF changed from a 21-point to an 11-point scoring system to make games more fast-paced and exciting.

In 2002, the ITTF changed the rules on service to prevent a player from hiding the ball during service, aiming to increase the average length of rallies and reduce the server's advantage.

The inaugural ITTF World Junior Championships took place in Santiago, Chile in 2003.

Table Tennis ranked 5th in television viewing audience during the 2004 Athens Olympic Games.

China achieved a total triumph by winning all five gold medals at the 2005 World Championships held in Shanghai, China.

Chinese athletes secured two gold medals in the team events at the 2006 World Championships held in Bremen, Germany.

China continued its dominance by winning all five gold medals at the 2007 World Championships held in Zagreb, Croatia.

China won all the Gold medals in Table Tennis at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

Table Tennis became part of the first Youth Olympic Games in 2010.

The International Table Tennis Federation released the ITTF Handbook 2011/2012 on July 6, 2011, providing guidelines and regulations for the sport.

China won World Team Golds and all Gold medals at the 2012 London Olympic Games, showcasing their dominance in Table Tennis.

As of 2015, table tennis balls are now made of polymer instead of celluloid. They are colored white or orange with a matte finish, and the choice of color is based on the table color and surroundings.

In June 2016, France had 207,213 table tennis club members, highlighting the popularity of the sport in the country.

In 2019, the ITTF adopted new regulations regarding naturalized players, specifying the waiting periods before they can represent their new association based on their age at the time of registration.

The International Table Tennis Federation released the 2021 ITTF Handbook on December 7, 2021, containing updated rules and information for the table tennis community.

The current (fiftieth) version of the ITTF handbook was published in 2022.

A virtual reality table tennis competition took place on June 24, 2023, during the Olympic Esports Week in Singapore. The game played was Eleven Table Tennis, with the final match contested by two players representing France.

A list of the top 14 table tennis players in history.