Table Tennis 2014

Much discussion still circulates the forums and message boards regarding the new plastic ball requirements unleashed by ITTF for international competitions that ITTF hosts. These changes truly only affect our national teams at this time whereas they are the ones competing in international events. As such, USATT has received a lot of requests from top athletes to migrate towards the non-celluloid ball for events at the US Nationals in order to allow competition time for national team members using a similar ball composition as they will experience at (for instance) the North American Olympic team trials or any world ITTF events – including cadet and junior events.

USATT is cognizant of these requests and the basis for them from our elite athletes and at the same time we are aware that the non-elite segment of USATT tournament participants have significant concerns with switching to the new ball at this time, especially in light of the still general unavailability for purchase in the United States. That coupled with the short lead time between now and the US National Championship to buy non-celluloid balls for practice, and having taken input from the membership into consideration, USATT will be taking the following approach to balls used at the 2014 US National Championship in Las Vegas.