Table tennis at 2024 Paris Olympics: How it works, Team USA stars, what else to know

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Table tennis at 2024 Paris Olympics: How it works, Team USA stars, what else to know

Dan Wolken, USA TODAY · USA TODAY Sports

Sat, Jul 27, 2024 ·

2 min read

When did table tennis become an Olympic sport?

Debuting in 1988 when Seoul successfully bid for the Summer Games, table tennis has remained a staple of the Olympics ever since and will be contested for the 10th time in Paris.

How does Olympic table tennis work?

Five events will award medals over two weeks: Men's and women's team competitions; men's and women's singles contests; and a mixed doubles tournament, which was added in 2021.

Each singles tournament is single-elimination draw with 64 entrants (maximum two per nation) and byes awarded to higher-ranked players. Those matches are played in a best-of-seven game format, with each game decided by the first to 11 points (winning by two).

The mixed doubles tournament includes 16 teams, with each country allowed one entry, and is played in a best-of-five format.

The team competition consists of two singles, one doubles, then two more singles matches if necessary with the first team to win three matches advancing in a 16-team, single-elimination draw. All team matches are best-of-five games.

Qualification for all events is based on a mix of results from designated continental and international tournaments, plus the world rankings. Each country will be represented by a maximum of three men and three women.

Semifinal losers in all events play a match for the bronze medal.

Who are the top Team USA athletes in table tennis?

Though not expected to contend for a medal, Kanak Jha secured a men's singles berth through the ITTF Americas Olympic qualifying tournament and will compete in his third Olympics. He lost his outing in 2016 as a 16-year-old but won two preliminary round matches in Tokyo to reach the final 32. By virtue of earning a spot through the Pan American Games, the U.S. will be in the women's team competition and have two singles entries. Those spots will be filled by four-time Olympian Lily Zhang and Amy Wang, both of whom are ranked in the top 40.

What's the international landscape in Olympic table tennis?

This has more-or-less been a one-country show. Since its addition to the Summer Games, China has won 32 of the 37 gold medals and 20 of the 37 silvers. Sun Yingsha, who was runner-up in Tokyo, comes to Paris as the far-and-away No. 1 on the women's side while Wang Chuqin has ascended to the top men's spot in the world since being selected as an alternate for China in 2021.