You might have played it in your backyard or garage but while it is largely a casual pastime here, Australia has joined the world stage to host an international competition offering $500,000 prize money.
For the first time, an Australian tournament is joining those elite ranks, becoming part of the international platinum series.
This week's Australian Table Tennis Open at Carrara Stadium on the Gold Coast will be broadcast to more than 50 million people, with some of the world's best players, representing 22 countries, making an appearance.
Table Tennis Australia chief executive officer Peter Marriott said it was the biggest table tennis event on home soil since the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
"The prime goal is to raise the profile of the sport," he said.
"We want to take it from a backyard, rumpus room sport to show people that it is a true professional sport.
"In order for our players to play the best in the world they've normally had to travel to Europe or to Asia.
"We're not a professional sport, they've had to pay a lot of money.
"Here they can actually do that in their backyard and it helps with their preparation for the Commonwealth Games next year."
Olympian and Paralympian Melissa Tapper said the event was a great opportunity for Australian athletes.
"I think table tennis's profile is growing but it needs more of these sorts of events and more spectators coming and seeing it," she said.
"Once people get in the hall and actually experience what table tennis is like at this sort of event, I think people would be really amazed with what they get to see.
"There's speed, power, agility and mental toughness the athletes have to show.
"It's the whole works so basically the question is 'why wouldn't someone come and see it?'"
Gold Coast tourism executive director Dean Gould is hopeful the tournament will attract more tourists to the region.
"Getting awareness of the Gold Coast throughout Asia, that's still a big job for us," he said.
"The Western World knows and loves the Gold Coast very well but the growth out of Japan and growth out of China has been really strong so we're looking to these events to raise the awareness of the Gold Coast as a great destination to visit."
