Why Left-Handers Excel in Table Tennis and Fencing: The "Rarity Advantage" Revealed by 20 Years and Tens of Thousands of Rankings

According to a recent study reported by Phys.org on September 24 (published in Royal Society Open Science), while only about 10% of the general population is left-handed, the proportion of left-handed individuals in sports like table tennis and fencing is consistently higher, with an increase among the world’s top players. In table tennis, over 20% of the players in the top 50 were left-handed. The study conducted a cross-sectional analysis of handedness data from the year-end world rankings of the top 300 players (both men and women) from 2004 to 2023, examining distribution characteristics beyond mere numerical ratios. This aligns with previous research suggesting that right-handed players find it difficult to adjust to left-handed opponents due to the "rarity advantage," and that left-handed players have an edge in high time-pressure sports requiring quick decision-making. On social media, opinions are divided, with comments like "Lefties are indeed troublesome" and "The gap narrows in professional settings" sparking active debate. Practically, repeated practice against left-handed opponents, scouting for left-handed players, and optimizing practice match pairings are promising strategies. Sources: Phys.org, RSOS paper and data, related literature.