The Rules of Table Tennis

Introduction 

Table tennis has a long history that started in the 1880s as a leisurely upper-class game in Victorian England. The idea behind the game was to bring lawn tennis inside so that it could be played during winter. During the early days of the sport, different manufacturers also tried to patent their own versions of the game, which is why the sport was also known as ping pong, indoor tennis, gossima and whiff-waff. 

In 1901, two rival associations were founded in just a few days from each other; the Table Tennis Association and the Ping Pong Association. This was also the starting point for competitive table tennis as the first tournaments were held that same year. From there, table tennis spread rapidly outside of England to other European countries and even some parts of Asia. 

The modern rules of table tennis have their roots in 1926 when the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) was born. The first singles rules were based on the English rules at the time, whereas the doubles rules resemble the game style played in Hungary. 

Nowadays, with an estimated 300 million players worldwide, table tennis has become one of the most well-known racket sports for athletes and recreational enthusiasts alike. Its biggest competitions are the World Table Tennis Championships, the Table Tennis World Cup, and the ITTF Tour. Table tennis has also been a mainstay in the Olympic Games since 1988. 

The object of the game

The object of table tennis is simple; you must hit the ball over the net and try to land it on your opponent’s side of the table. Of course, your opponent has the same goal as they try to prevent you from returning it to their side of the court. 

Once the ball is at play, a rally occurs and continues until either player commits a fault. These include hitting the ball into the net, out of the table, or letting the ball bounce twice on your side. The player who wins a rally gets a point. 

Scoring in table tennis

A table tennis match consists of the best of 5 or 7 games. For example, in a best of 5 match, the first player to win three games is declared the winner. To win a game, a player must reach 11 points with at least a 2 point advantage. If both players are tied at 10, they will alternate serving for one point at a time until the first player gains a two-point lead. 

Serving rules in table tennis

The basic rules of table tennis state that the player must stand behind the table and hold the ball on an open palm (freehand) with the paddle on the other hand. The serve must be tossed directly upwards without spin for at least 16cm (6.3in) high. The server must make contact with the ball behind the table and let it bounce on their side of the table first. The serving player is also not allowed to hide the ball or obstruct the opponent’s visibility during service. Breaking this rule leads to a warning and even point reductions if done again. 

A player serves for two points at a time regardless of who wins the point. Unlike in tennis or badminton, the player does not have to land the ball diagonally into their opponent’s side of the table. Players also only have one attempt at a successful service. The only exception is if a player hits the net and the ball lands on the opponent’s side of the table. In this case, the point will be let and played again. If the ball clips the net and misses the table, it will be considered ”out”. However, if the ball hits the edge of the table and bounces downward, it is considered ”in”. The first server also alternates between games regardless of who served last during the previous game. 

In doubles, the players must serve from the right side of the table diagonally into their opponent’s side of the table. Much like in singles games, each player serves for two points. Thus, each player will serve after eight points have been played. At the end of each service, the previous receiver becomes the server and the previous server’s partner becomes the receiver. After the first game, teams will also serve in reverse order. During the last possible game (5 or 7), players also change ends after the first team reaches five points. The game will continue in reverse serving order. 

Gameplay

Once the ball is at play, both players can move freely on their side of the table. The ball can hit the player’s finger or the net as long as it lands on the other side of the table. Additionally, if the ball hits the top edge of the table and bounces downward, it is still considered ”in”. Players are also allowed to hit the ball around the net as long as it lands on their opponent’s side of the table. Players are not allowed to touch the table with their free hand, make contact with the net at any point or touch the ball on their opponent’s side of the table. Doing so will result in a fault, leading to the loss of that point. Other frequent faults include;

• Hitting the ball outside of the table
• Being unable to return the ball to their opponent
• Touching the ball twice
• Letting the ball bounce twice on your side
• Catching the ball
• Distracting your opponent visually or verbally

In doubles gameplay, players from the same team must take turns in hitting the ball back to the opposing team. Doubles also have different serving rules.

Table tennis rules are overseen by an umpire, whose main duty is to decide the result of each rally. In international competitions, there is also an assistant umpire, who shares some of the main umpire’s responsibilities, such as calling out edge balls. Some bigger competitions also have tournament referees and deputy referees that make sure the matches are played according to the official rules of the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF).

Game intervals

The basic rules of table tennis state that players switch ends after every game. While players switch sides, they also have a 60s break before the next serve. In the last possible game, players also change ends when the first player reaches 5 points. Players are also able to call a 60s timeout once per game. On top of this, the table is wiped after every 6 points in all competitive table tennis matches.

The table

The table is 2.27m (9ft) long and 1.525m (5ft) wide with a height of 76cm (2.5ft). The net is set at a height of 15.25cm (6.0in) with an overhang of 15.25cm (6.0in). The table is often dark in color with a matte surface and a centerline that divides the table into left and right halves. It is used while serving during doubles games. 

The table must provide a 23cm (9.1in) bounce if the ball is dropped from a height of 30cm (11.8in). Usually, competitive table tennis tables are made from wood or similar material, but concrete and steel versions can also be found in outdoor public areas. 

Rules and regulations of table tennis equipment

In addition to athletic clothing, table tennis only requires two pieces of equipment; the ball and the paddle. 

The ball is 40mm (1.57in) in diameter and weighs 2.7g (0.095oz). They used to be made from celluloid, but modern competition balls are always made from polymer with a matte finish. Table tennis balls also come in many colors and they are always matched with the color of the table for maximum visibility. Table tennis balls also have a star rating system (1-3) to indicate the grade of the ball. The higher the number – the better the ball. However, this rating system is not standardized and may vary from one manufacturer to another. 

The table tennis paddle, also known as racket (ITTF) or bat (Europe & Asia), has a short handle and a round head, called the blade. The blade is usually 17cm (6.7in) long and 15cm (5.9in) wide and most restrictions focus on the flatness of the blade instead of its size. The paddle is made from one to seven layers of plywood, but some manufacturers also add a layer of cork, carbon fiber, glass fiber, aluminum fiber, or even Kevlar for different properties. The International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) has ruled that at least 85% of the paddle must be made of natural wood. 

The paddle can also have different surfaces on each side of the blade. Thus, the player can decide if they want to increase or decrease the spin and speed the paddle produces. However, the rules of table tennis state that one side must be black and the other one must be red. The opposing player can also inspect the paddle before the game. Interestingly, the paddle cannot be changed if it breaks during a match unless it is damaged in play. 

Other rules of table tennis

In table tennis competitions the first server is often decided by a coin toss. Sometimes the umpire can also hide the ball in one hand and allow either player to guess which hand the ball is in. If the player guesses where the ball is, they can choose who serves first – or vice versa. In other cases, players can also ”play for serve”. This means that a player throws the ball into play and the winner of that rally gets to choose who serves first. This rally must last for at least three shots. 

The expedite system can be called after 10 minutes of play or at the request of both players. However, one exception to this rule is that it will not be called if at least 18 points have been scored. This 10-minute playtime is monitored by the umpire or assistant umpire. If the ball is at play when the game reaches 10 minutes, the rally will be stopped and restarted with the expedite system. The receiving player will also become the server. The expedite system means that each player will alternate one serve until the rest of the game and the receiving player also wins a point is they are able to return the ball 13 times unless either player commits a fault before that. 

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