And like many rock stars, Zhuang - who placed first at the U.S. Olympic and National Team trials that ended yesterday at Drexel University - is no child but 44 and the father of two, who were timed to arrive between Olympic competitions.

Which is why his wife, Joannie Fu, was perched on the back of Zhuang's thighs between matches, massaging the spasms out of his body, while he lay prone on the floor of the Daskalakis Athletic Center.

Professional table tennis is furious and fast, up to 100 miles an hour, a third faster than it was three decades ago given the players' athleticism. Unlike court tennis, the table version allows fans to follow several matches simultaneously, the perfect sport for an era hooked on speed and multitasking, and without the annoying neck twisting.

Table tennis is also a generous sport when it comes to the vicissitudes of age.

Ariel Hsing, 12, the Maria Sharapova of table tennis given to grunts and shouting "qiú!" (Mandarin for "ball' and pronounced "cho"), was a competitor. So, too, was estimable Cheng Yinghua, 49, who placed fourth after besting 22-year-old Mark Hazinski, less than half his age.

Geoffrey Xiao, 11, of Huntingdon Valley, was one of 1,850 enthusiastic fans attending (of 5,500 fans for the four-day tournament), hoping "that David Zhuang will become my coach." His father, Ming, grew up competing in China, where the sport is "huge," the soccer of the republic.

Chinese players dominate in international competition, along with North and South Korea, Hong Kong, Germany and Sweden. In the 20 years since table tennis made its debut at the Seoul Olympics, the United States has never medaled in women's or men's singles or double competitions.

The sport will receive unprecedented attention in August when the Olympics take place in Beijing.

Many national competitors are Chinese American, including the top four female finishers in yesterday's matches, and three of the four men. Drexel officials made a concerted effort to attract the residents of Chinatown, where there is a small, unaffiliated table-tennis club.

The Wang family of Turnersville, N.J., plays at the West Jersey Table Tennis Club, which meets in the basement of the Pennsauken United Methodist Church. "My dad's my coach," said Allen Wang, 9, one of the nation's best young players, who practices two hours almost daily.

What separates table-tennis athletes from amateur weekend ping-pong players is beginning young, preferably before age 8; parents who are experienced players; and competition from peers at a local, affiliated U.S. Table Tennis Club.

That, and a frightening serve - as much an act of prestidigitation as athleticism. Players begin by cradling the ball like an egg in a cupped hand. From there, it's impossible for all but the best players to determine where the ball will land.

College can get in the way of competition. Judy Hugh, 18, of Warren, N.J., is the daughter of Lily Yip, a veteran of two Olympic teams. As a Rutgers freshman, Judy Hugh practiced sporadically this fall, as opposed to her brother Adam, 20, who is on the Princeton team, the second best in the nation. (Texas Wesleyan is ranked first.) Top competitors are also enrolled at Stanford, and Penn has Barbara Wei.

Many patrons attended out of sheer curiosity, for a fun Sunday of $10 entertainment.

"I'm definitely the best player in our apartment," said Matt Kory, 32, of Northern Liberties, who came with his wife, Stephanie; they play at Bob & Barbara's Lounge on South Street.

The great thing about table tennis is most people know the rules. So they play to 11 points per game professionally, instead of pong's 21. Players are permitted to use speed glue under the racket rubber, a practice being eliminated next year. The fumes are fierce and the stuff is flammable. Basically, though, it's an easy game to follow.

Table tennis is an affordable game to watch and, alas, hardly a lucrative one to play. Players in Europe are paid handsomely, and Chinese and Korean players are true rock stars supported by their governments with billboards and endorsement deals. Top prize at the U.S. Open of table tennis is $7,000, a far cry from the more than $1 million in golf and tennis.

Ariel Hsing, the 12-year-old phenom from San Jose, the best under-18 girl's player in the country, has big hopes for herself and her sport.

"My goal is to make America better at table tennis," she said, catching her breath, four barrettes holding back her hair. "And for more Americans to get interested in the sport."