  We establish a general formula for the distribution of the score in table
tennis. We use this formula to derive the probability distribution (and hence
the expectation and variance) of the number of rallies necessary to achieve any
given score. We use these findings to investigate the dependence of these
quantities on the different parameters involved (number of points needed to win
a set, number of consecutive serves, etc.), with particular focus on the rule
change imposed in 2001 by the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF).
Finally we briefly indicate how our results can lead to more efficient
estimation techniques of individual players' abilities.
