Friday, March 29, 2024
Sports

Table Tennis - Rules

The player reade to Serve
The player reade to Serve

The rally is a let:

  • If the ball served, in passing over or around the net, touches it or its supports, provided the service be otherwise good or be volleyed by the receiver or his partner.

  • If a service be delivered when the receiver or his partner is not ready, provided that a player may not be deemed to be unready if he or his partner attempts to strike at the ball.

  • If a player fails to make a good service or a good return or otherwise to comply with the laws due to a disturbance outside the control of the player.

  • If it is interrupted, for correction of a mistake in playing order or ends and for application of the expedite system. 

The order of Serving, Receiving and Ends 

The player or pair who started at one End in a game shall start at the other in the immediately subsequent game and so on until the end of the match. In the last possible game of the match, the players or pairs shall change ends when first either player or pair reaches the score 10.

In singles, after five points, the receiver shall become the server and the server, the receiver and so on until the end of the game or the score 20-20 or until the introduction of the expedite system. 

From the score 20-20, or if the game being played under the expedite system, the sequence of serving and receiving shall be the same but each player shall deliver only one service in turn until the end of the game.

The player or pair who served first in a game shall receive first in the immediately subsequent game and so on until the end of the match. In the last possible game of a doubles match, the receiving pair shall alter its order of receiving when first either pair reaches the score 10.

In each game of a doubles match the initial order of receiving shall be opposite. The first five services shall be delivered by the selected partner of the pair who have the right to do so and shall be received by the appropriate partner of the opposing pair. The second five services shall be delivered by the receiver by the partner of the first server. The third five services shall be delivered by the partner of the first server and received by the partner of the first receiver. The fourth five services shall be delivered by the partner of the first receiver and received by the first server. The fifth five services shall be delivered as the first five and so on in sequence until the end of the game or the score 20-20 or until the introduction of the Expedite system.

The Expedite System:

  1. The expedite system shall come into operation if a game is unfinished after fifteen minute's play, or at any earlier time at the request of both players or pairs.

  2. If the ball is in play when the time limit is reached, play shall be stopped by the umpire and shall resume with service by the player who served in the rally that was interrupted.

  3. If the ball is not in play when the time limit is reached, play shall resume with service by the player who received in the immediately preceding rally of the game.

  4. Thereafter, each player shall serve for one point in turn, until the end of the game and if the receiving player or pair makes thirteen good returns the server shall lose a point.

  5. Once the Expedite System is introduced it shall remain in operation till the end of the match. 

Out of Order of Serving, Receiving and Ends

  1. If a player serves or receives out of turn play shall be interrupted by the umpire as soon as the error is discovered and shall resume with those players serving and receiving who should be server and receiver respectively at the score that has been reached, according to the sequence established at the beginning of the match, and in doubles, to the order of serving chosen by the pair having the right to serve first in the game which the error is discovered. 

  2. If a player have not changed ends where they should have done so play shall be interrupted by umpire as soon as the error is discovered and shall resume with the players at the ends at which they should be at the score that has been reached according to the sequence established at the start of the match. 

  3. In any circumstances, all points scored before the discovery of an error shall be reckoned.