Table tennis players often touch the table to wipe sweat from their hands.
The game requires you to have tight control, so players need to avoid the racket slipping in their hands.
Sometimes, though, players wipe their hands simply out of habit.
Just as a tennis player may bounce the ball before their serve, some table tennis players wipe their hands.
It’s a good strategy for appearing confident and relaxed in front of an opponent too.
The final reason for touching the table is that it wastes time during the game, allowing a player in the lead to wait out the clock.
Why do table tennis players blow on their paddle and the ball before serving?
Players blow on their paddles and their ball for the same reason that they wipe the table: to get rid of sweat.
A racket can absorb humidity and sweat, which will slow down the game when the player returns the ball.
If the players sweat a lot, since table tennis is such a physically demanding sport, the ball can get wet too.
A wet ball can prevent the racket’s rubber from gripping it, which can make a player miss their shot.
What's happening today at The Games?
WHAT TO WATCH TODAY...
TODAY’S BRIT MEDAL HOPES
Freestyle BMX world and European champ Kieran Reilly will be aiming to add the Olympic title to his collection (12.40pm).
Team GB’s men and women will both be in contention in the rowing quadruple sculls finals (11.25am).
BRITS TO WATCH
Andrea Spendolini-Sirieix – daughter of First Dates star Fred – and Lois Toulson go in the 10m synchro diving final (10am).
In the hockey, Team GB’s women know a win against South Africa is vital after starting with defeats to Spain and Australia (9.30am).
Commonwealth bronze medallist Jemima Yeats-Brown begins her -70kg judo campaign, two years on from losing her sister Jenny to brain cancer (9.20am).
GLOBAL STARS TODAY
The all-star USA men’s basketball team, featuring LeBron James and Steph Curry, face Olympic debutants South Sudan (8pm).
The 100m men’s freestyle final could be a classic with Tokyo champ Caeleb Dressel, new 200m gold medallist David Popovici plus Brits Duncan Scott and Matthew Richards all in contention (9.15pm).
And Jessica Fox could win her second gold of Paris 2024 if she defends her C1 canoe slalom from three years ago (4.25pm).
FANCY SOMETHING DIFFERENT?
The beach volleyball is always spectacular viewing at any Olympics but this year even more so – because it is being played at the foot of the Eiffel Tower.
There are matches all throughout the day from 8am to 9pm.
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