Exploring Technical and Tactical Differences between a Top Table Tennis Player with an Intellectual Disability and an Able-Bodied Player: Application of the 3S Theory

Purpose: This study applied the 3S theory (Speed, Spin, Spot) as an analytical framework to compare the technical and tactical characteristics of a top able-bodied (AB) table tennis (TT) player with an intellectual disability (ID). Methods: A case study focused on five international matches played during high school periods by two elite players: Player H (AB) and Player C (ID). “The Intellectual System in Competitive TT” was employed to gather data, with descriptive statistics and Chi-square tests used for analysis. Results: Serving & Receiving: The player with ID excelled in serving over receiving (χ2 =12.40, p <.001), whereas the AB player showed no significant difference, highlighting the ID player’s weaker receiving skills. 3S Serving Strategies: The ID player used 38 serving strategies (28.15%), with the top five making up 53%, indicating less diversity. By contrast, the AB player applied 53 strategies (39.26%), with the top five accounting for 35.4%, showing greater tactical variability. Receiving Techniques: The ID player relied on 26 strategies (41.27%), with 56.6% focused on “control” techniques. Meanwhile, the AB player used 39 strategies (61.90%), evenly dividing between “offensive” and “control” techniques, displaying more balance. Error Types: While shot error types did not significantly difference, However, the higher frequency of “Offensive Receiving Errors” and “Control Receiving Errors” in the ID player further confirmed his notable weaknesses in receiving performance. Conclusions: This study effectively applied the 3S theory to examine the technical and tactical characteristics of the ID player in real matches, addressing past restrictions of static testing. It confirmed that ID players usually play simplified serving and receiving strategies, offering valuable guidance for TT coaches and players in refining training and match tactics.