My mother, (still going strong and living in Barnes) as well as being one of England's first women advertising copywriters, (with Masius and Ferguson) was an international table tennis player called 'Pinkie' Barnes. (She was called Pinkie apparently because she was a very pink baby. But in reality she didn't like the abbreviations of all her names. She was Lavender Rosamund Marguerite and hated Lav, Ros and Marge, so was keen to be called a nickname) She played for England 11 times between 1946 and 50 and won various trophies including the Championship of the Netherlands. She was British Doubles Finalist with the then World Champion, Hungary's Guysey Farkas (I'm going to check the spelling!) She said that after WW2 there was such a desire for 'normality' that sport was a major draw and consequently she played before huge crowds including several thousands at the Empire Pool Wembley. During the war she set up an exhibition partnership with Peggy Franks with whom she would tour Fire stations! They'd put the table up next to the fire engines! She was Black Beauty to Peggy Franks' Blonde Bombshell! (that's how the billing went)
Here's a pic of a great forehand winner 