New Rules from
TNTTA asper letter Dated 02.06.2008
GLUE: Speed Glue containg (Volatile Organic Solvent) is banned by ITTF for all the Juniors, Sub-Juniors
and Cadet Players from January 2008. To follow all our Domestic Circuit Tournaments.
THE LAWS OF
TABLE TENNIS
2.1 THE TABLE
2.1.1
The upper surface of the table, known as the playing surface, shall be
rectangular,
2.74m long and 1.525m wide, and shall lie in a horizontal plane
76cm above
the floor.
2.1.2
The playing surface shall not include the vertical sides of the tabletop.
2.1.3
The playing surface may be of any material and shall yield a uniform bounce
of about 23cm
when a standard ball is dropped on to it from a height of 30cm.
2.1.4
The playing surface shall be uniformly dark coloured and matt, but with a
white side
line, 2cm wide, along each 2.74m edge and a white end line, 2cm
wide, along
each 1.525m edge.
2.1.5
The playing surface shall be divided into 2 equal courts by a vertical net
running parallel
with the end lines, and shall be continuous over the whole
area of each
court.
2.1.6
For doubles, each court shall be divided into 2 equal half-courts by a white
centre line,
3mm wide, running parallel with the side lines; the centre line shall
be regarded
as part of each right half-court.
2.2 THE NET ASSEMBLY
2.2.1
The net assembly shall consist of the net, its suspension and the supporting
posts, including
the clamps attaching them to the table.
2.2.2
The net shall be suspended by a cord attached at each end to an upright post
15.25cm high,
the outside limits of the post being 15.25cm outside the side
Line.
2.2.3
The top of the net, along its whole length, shall be 15.25cm above the playing
surface.
2.2.4
The bottom of the net, along its whole length, shall be as close as possible to
the playing
surface and the ends of the net shall be as close as possible to
the supporting
posts.
2.3 THE BALL
2.3.1
The ball shall be spherical, with a diameter of 40mm.
2.3.2
The ball shall weigh 2.7g.
2.3.3
The ball shall be made of celluloid or similar plastics material and shall be
white or orange,
and matt.
2.4 THE RACKET
2.4.1
The racket may be of any size, shape or weight but the blade shall be flat and
rigid.
2.4.2
At least 85% of the blade by thickness shall be of natural wood; an adhesive
layer within
the blade may be reinforced with fibrous material such as carbon
fibre, glass
fibre or compressed paper, but shall not be thicker than 7.5% of
the total thickness
or 0.35mm, whichever is the smaller.
2.4.3
A side of the blade used for striking the ball shall be covered with either
ordinary pimpled
rubber, with pimples outwards having a total thickness
including adhesive
of not more than 2mm, or sandwich rubber, with pimples
inwards or
outwards, having a total thickness including adhesive of not more
than 4mm.
2.4.3.1 Ordinary
pimpled rubber is a single layer of non-cellular rubber, natural or
synthetic, with pimples evenly
distributed over its surface at a density of not
less than 10 per cm2 and not more than 30 per cm2.
2.4.3.2 Sandwich
rubber is a single layer of cellular rubber covered with a single outer layer of ordinary pimpled rubber, the thickness
of the pimpled rubber not
being more than 2mm.
2.4.4
The covering material shall extend up to but not beyond the limits of the
blade, except
that the part nearest the handle and gripped by the fingers may
be left uncovered
or covered with any material.
2.4.5
The blade, any layer within the blade and any layer of covering material or
adhesive on
a side used for striking the ball shall be continuous and of even
thickness.
2.4.6
The surface of the covering material on a side of the blade, or of a side of the
blade if it
is left uncovered, shall be matt, bright red on one side and black on
the other.
2.4.7
Slight deviations from continuity of surface or uniformity of colour due to
accidental
damage or wear may be allowed provided that they do not
significantly
change the characteristics of the surface.
2.4.8
At the start of a match and whenever he changes his racket during a match a
player shall
show his opponent and the umpire the racket he is about to use
and shall allow
them to examine it.
2.5 DEFINITIONS
2.5.1
A rally is the period during which the ball is in play.
2.5.2
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.
2.5.3
A let is a rally of which the result is not scored.
2.5.4
A point is a rally of which the result is scored.
2.5.5
The racket hand is the hand carrying the racket.
2.5.6
The free hand is the hand not carrying the racket; the free arm is the arm of
the free hand.
2.5.7
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.
2.5.8
A player obstructs the ball if he, or anything he wears or carries, touches it in
play when it
is above or travelling towards the playing surface, not having
touched his
court since last being struck by his opponent.
2.5.9
The server is the player due to strike the ball first in a rally.
2.5.10 The receiver is the player
due to strike the ball second in a rally.
2.5.11 The umpire is the person
appointed to control a match.
2.5.12 The assistant umpire is
the person appointed to assist the umpire with certain
decisions.
2.5.13
Anything that a player wears or carries includes anything that he was wearing
or carrying,
other than the ball, at the start of the rally.
2.5.14
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.
2.5.15
The end line shall be regarded as extending indefinitely in both directions.
2.6 THE SERVICE
2.6.1
Service shall start with the ball resting freely on the open palm of the server's
stationary
free hand.
2.6.2
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.
2.6.3
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.
2.6.4
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 or by anything they
wear or carry.
2.6.5
As soon as the ball has been projected, the server’s free arm shall be
removed from
the space between the ball and the net.
(The space between
the ball and the net is defined by the ball, the net and its indefinite
upward extension.)
2.6.6
It is the responsibility of the player to serve so that the umpire or the assistant
umpire can
see that he complies with the requirements for a correct service.
2.6.6.1 If the umpire is doubtful of the legality of
a service he may, on the first
occasion in
a match, declare a let and warn the server.
2.6.6.2 Any subsequent service of doubtful legality of
that player or his doubles
partner will result in a point
to the receiver.
2.6.6.3 Whenever there is a clear
failure to comply with the requirements for a correct
service, no
warning shall be given and the receiver shall score a point.
2.6.7
Exceptionally, the umpire may relax the requirements for a correct service
where he is
satisfied that compliance is prevented by physical disability.
2.7 THE RETURN
2.7.1
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.
2.8 THE ORDER OF PLAY
2.8.1
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.
2.8.2
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.
2.8.3
When two players who are in wheelchairs due to a physical disability are a
pair playing
doubles, the server shall first make a service, the receiver shall
then make a
return but thereafter either player of the disabled pair may make
returns. However,
no part of a player’s wheelchair shall protrude beyond the
imaginary extension
of the centre line of the table. If it does, the umpire shall
award the point
to the opposing pair.
2.9 A LET
2.9.1
The rally shall be a let
2.9.1.1 if in service the ball, in passing over or around
the net assembly, touches
it, provided
the service is otherwise good or the ball is obstructed by the
receiver or
his partner;
2.9.1.2 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;
2.9.1.3 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;
2.9.1.4 if play is interrupted by the
umpire or assistant umpire;
2.9.1.5 if the receiver is in wheelchair
due to a physical disability and in service
the ball, provided
that the service is otherwise correct,
2.9.1.5.1 leaves the receiver’s
half after touching it in the direction of the net;
2.9.1.5.2 comes to rest on the receiver's
half;
2.9.1.5.3 in singles leaves the receiver’s
half after touching it by either of its
sidelines.
2.9.2
Play may be interrupted
2.9.2.1 to correct an error in the
order of serving, receiving or ends;
2.9.2.2 to introduce the expedite system;
2.9.2.3 to warn or penalise a player
or adviser;
2.9.2.4 because the conditions of play
are disturbed in a way which could affect
the outcome
of the rally.
2.10 A POINT
2.10.1 Unless the rally is a let, a
player shall score a point
2.10.1.1 if his opponent fails to make
a correct service;
2.10.1.2 if his opponent fails to make
a correct return;
2.10.1.3 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;
2.10.1.4 if the ball passes over his
court or beyond his end line without touching his
court, after being struck by his opponent;
2.10.1.5 if his opponent obstructs
the ball;
2.10.1.6 if his opponent strikes the
ball twice successively;
2.10.1.7 if his opponent strikes the
ball with a side of the racket blade whose
surface does not comply with the requirements of 2.4.3, 2.4.4 and 2.4.5;
2.10.1.8 if his opponent, or anything
his opponent wears or carries, moves the
playing surface;
2.10.1.9 if his opponent, or anything
his opponent wears or carries, touches the net
assembly;
2.10.1.10 if his opponent's free hand
touches the playing surface;
2.10.1.11 if a doubles opponent strikes
the ball out of the sequence established by
the first server and first receiver;
2.10.1.12 as provided under the expedite
system (2.15.2).
2.11 A GAME
2.11.
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.
2.12 A MATCH
2.12.1 A match shall consist of the best of any odd
number of games.
2.13 THE ORDER OF SERVING, RECEIVING AND ENDS
2.13.1The 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.
2.13.2 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.
2.13.3 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, unless
both players or pairs score 10
points or the expedite system is in operation,
when the sequences of serving and
receiving shall be the same but each
player shall serve for only 1 point
in turn.
2.13.4 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.
2.13.5 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.
2.13.6 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.
2.13.7 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.
2.14 OUT OF ORDER OF SERVING, RECEIVING OR ENDS
2.14.1
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 during which the error is
discovered
2.14.2 If the players have not changed ends when they should have done so, play
shall be interrupted
by the 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 beginning of
the match.
2.14.3 In any circumstances, all points
scored before the discovery of an error shall
be reckoned.
2.15 THE EXPEDITE SYSTEM
2.15.1 Except where both players or pairs have scored at least 9 points, the expedite
system shall come into operation
if a game is unfinished after 10 minutes’ play or at any earlier time at the request of both players or pairs.
2.15.1.1 If the ball is in play when
the time limit is reached, play shall be interrupted
by the umpire and shall resume with service by the player who served
in the
rally that was interrupted.
2.15.1.2 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.
2.15.2 Thereafter, each player shall serve for 1 point in turn until the end of the
Game and if the receiving player
or pair makes 13 returns the receiver shall score a point.
2.15.3 Once introduced, the expedite system shall remain in operation until the end
of the match.
