TABLE
TENNIS/PING PONG
Definitions
A rally is the period during which the ball is in play.
The ball is in play from the last moment at which it is
stationary on the palm of the free hand before being intentionally projected in
service until the rally is decided as a let or a point.
A let is a rally of which the result is not scored.
A point is a rally of which the result is scored.
The racket hand is the hand carrying the racket.
The free hand is the hand not carrying the racket; the free
arm is the arm of the free hand.
A player strikes the ball if he touches it in play with his
racket, held in the hand, or with his racket hand below the wrist.
A player obstructs the ball if he, or anything he wears or
carries, touches it in play when it is above or traveling towards the playing
surface, not having touched his court since last being struck by his
opponent.
The server is the player due to strike the ball first in
a rally.
The receiver is the player due to strike the ball second
in a rally.
The ball shall be regarded as
passing over or around the
net assembly if it passes anywhere other than between the net and the net post
or between the net and the playing surface.
The end line shall be regarded as extending indefinitely
in both directions.
The
Service
Service shall start with the ball
resting freely on the open palm of the server's stationary free hand.
The server shall then project the ball near vertically upwards, without imparting spin,
so that it rises at least 16cm after leaving the palm of the free hand and then
falls without touching anything before being struck.
As the ball is falling the server shall strike
it so that it touches first his court and then, after passing over or
around the net assembly, touches directly the receiver's court;
in doubles, the ball shall touch successively the right half court of server
and receiver.
From the start of service until it
is struck, the ball shall be above the
level of the playing surface and behind the server's end line, and it shall
not be hidden from the receiver by the server or his doubles partner and by
anything they wear or carry.
It is the responsibility of the
player to serve so that the opponents can see that s/he complies with the
requirements for a good service.
If you are doubtful of the legality of
a service, you may, on the first
occasion in a match, declare a let
and warn the server.
Any subsequent service of doubtful
legality of that player or his/her doubles partner will result in a point to
the receiver.
Whenever there is a clear failure to comply with the
requirements for a good service, no warning shall be given and the receiver shall score a point.
The
Return
The ball, having been served or
returned, shall be struck so that it
passes over or around the net assembly and touches the opponent's court,
either directly or after touching the net assembly.
The
Order of Play
In singles, the server shall first
make a service, the receiver shall then make a return and thereafter server and
receiver alternately shall each make a return.
In doubles,
the server shall first make a service,
the receiver shall then make a return,
the partner of the server shall then make a return,
the partner of the receiver shall then make a return and thereafter each player in turn in that sequence shall make a return.
The rally shall be a let:
if in service the ball touches the
net, provided the service is otherwise good;
if the service is delivered when the
receiving player or pair is not ready, provided that neither the receiver nor
his partner attempts to strike the ball;
if failure to make a service or a return
or otherwise to comply with
the Laws is due to a disturbance outside
the control of the player;
A
Game
A game shall be won by the player or
pair first scoring 11 points unless both players or pairs score 10 points, when
the game
shall be won by the first player or
pair subsequently gaining a lead of 2 points.
A
Match
A match shall consist of the best of
any odd number of games.
Best
2-out-of-3 Best 3-out-of 5 Best 5-out-of-7
The
Order of Serving, receiving, and ends
The right to choose the initial
order of serving, receiving and ends shall be decided by lot and the winner may
choose to serve or to receive first or to start at a particular end.
When one player or pair has chosen to
serve or to receive first or to start at a particular end, the other player or
pair shall have the other choice.
After each 2 points have
been scored the receiving player or pair
shall become the serving player or pair and so on until the end of the game, until both players or pairs score
10 points, then the sequences of serving and receiving shall be the same but
each player shall serve for only 1 point in turn.
In each game of a doubles match, the
pair having the right to serve first shall choose which of them will do so and
in the first game of a match the receiving pair shall decide which of them will
receive first; in subsequent games of the match, the first server having been
chosen, the first receiver shall be the player who served to him in the
preceding game.
In doubles, at each change of service the previous receiver shall
become the server and the partner of the previous server shall become
the receiver.
The player or pair serving first in
a game shall receive first in the next
game of the match and in the last possible
game of a doubles match
the pair due to receive next shall change
their order of receiving when
first one pair scores 5 points.
The player or pair starting at one
end in a game shall start at the other end in the next game of the match and in
the last possible game of a match the players or pairs shall change ends when
first one player or pair scores 5 points.
A
Point
A player shall score a point
if his opponent fails to make a
correct service (unless it is a let);
if his opponent fails to make a
correct return;
if, after he has made a service or a
return, the ball touches anything other than the net assembly before being struck
by his opponent;
if the ball passes over his court or
beyond his end line without touching his court, after being struck by his opponent;
if his opponent obstructs the ball;
if his opponent strikes the ball
twice successively;
if his opponent, or anything his opponent
wears or carries, moves the
playing surface;
if his opponent, or anything his opponent
wears or carries, touches the net assembly;
if his opponent's free hand touches
the playing surface;
if a doubles opponent strikes the
ball out of the sequence established by the first server and first receiver;
Score
Indication
The server shall call the score as soon
as the ball is out of play at the
completion of a rally, or as soon as
is practicable thereafter.
In calling the score during a game the
server shall call first the number of points scored by their own team and then
the number of points scored by the opposing player or pair.