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A 766-shot table-tennis rally takes 10 minutes (video)

Table Tennis - Olympics: Day 8

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - AUGUST 13: A general view during the Table Tennis Men’s Team Round One Match between Japan and Poland during Day 8 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at Riocentro - Pavilion 3 on August 13, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)

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A 766-shot table-tennis rally, believed to be the longest ever, was a highlight of a tournament in Qatar this week.

Rio Olympian Li Jie of the Netherlands and Hitomi Sato of Japan played for 10 minutes, 13 seconds, neither wanting to attack, before the point was cut short (mercifully) by another ball bouncing near the table.

An expedite rule, forcing a point to end within 13 shots by the player returning serve, was then enforced to speed up play. Li ended up winning in the maximum seven games.

Li and Sato were playing at the International Table Tennis Federation World Tour’s Qatar Open.

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