Evaluation of the winning technical and tactical actions of the best female table tennis players in the years 1970-2021

The aim of the research was to determine the quantitative structure of winning systems of the world's leading women players in table tennis in the years 1970-2021. The study used the Wu Huanqin game analysis method. It consists of observing the game, counting the scoring actions within the three stages or situations of a rally: serve/attack', 'return/attack', and 'stalemate phase'. In total 165 women's matches were analysed. The type and size of the ball (celluloid vs. plastic and 38 mm vs. 40 mm diameter) were factors according to which three research periods had been distinguished. With the changes of the ball used an increase in the use of subsequent actions in the so-called stalemate phase can be seen. This is probably related to slowing down the game and reducing the use of spin rotation when playing a large, plastic ball. The number of points scored directly with the serve decreases in particular periods. However, the use of side-forehand-serves and forehand-hook-serves increases over time. Service returns are dominated by backhand returns. This may be related to the greater possibilities of using disguised and diverse techniques to receive the serve (e.g. push, so called "banana" flick or "strawberry" flick, topspin). An interesting observation also was the large number of scorings with repetitive techniques in stalemate phase (e.g. repetition of topspin forehand or block backhand).