The Service – Service shall start with the ball sitting on the open palm of the server’s still hand. The server shall then toss the ball vertically upwards, so that the ball rises at least 16cm in the air. The ball should then drop without being interfered with by anything before it’s struck. As the ball is dropping the server shall strike it so that it bounces on their side of the table before going over the net and bouncing on the other side. The ball shall be above the playing surface level and behind the end line. It shall also not be hidden from the receivers view by the server or by anything they wear. It is the server’s responsibility to serve so that the official can be satisfied that the serve is within the rules. If the official is not sure about the legality of a service he or she may interrupt play and warn the server on the first occasion it happens, but any later service by that player which is not clearly legal will be considered incorrect.
The Return – The ball shall be hit so that it goes over the net and touches the opponent’s court.
The Order of Play – First, the server shall serve, then the receiver shall then make a return and from then on each player will continue to return the ball back to each other.
A Let – The rally shall be a let if the ball, makes contact the net while passing over it. A let will also occur provided if the service is delivered when the receiving player is not ready, provided that the receiver doesn’t attempt to hit the ball. If play is interrupted by the official or assistant official then the rally will also be let. Play may be interrupted to correct an error in the order of serving, to warn or penalise a player because the conditions of play are disturbed in a way which could affect the rally.
Point System – Unless the rally is a let, a player shall score a point if an opponent fails to serve correctly. If an opponent doesn’t return the ball legally. If, after the server has made a service, the ball touches anything other than the net assembly before being hit by an opponent. If the ball goes beyond the opponents end line without touching the opponent’s court, after being hit by an opponent. If an opponent obstructs the ball. If an opponent deliberately hit the ball twice in succession. If an opponent hit the ball with a side of the racket blade whose surface is not within the laws. If an opponent, or anything an opponent wears or carries, moves the playing surface. If an opponent, or anything an opponent wears or carries, touches the net assembly. If an opponent’s free hand touches the playing surface.
A Game – A game shall be won by the player first scoring 11 points unless both players score 10 points, which then the game will go to deuce and the first player to gain a lead of 2 points will get the victory.
A Match – A match shall consist of the best of any odd number of games.
Regulations
The Table – 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. The playing surface shall not include the vertical sides of the table top. 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. 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. 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. 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.
The Net Assembly – The net assembly shall consist of the net, its suspension and the supporting posts, including the clamps attaching them to the table. 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. The top of the net, along its whole length, shall be 15.25cm above the playing surface. 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.
The Ball – The ball shall be spherical, with a diameter of 40mm. The ball shall weigh 2.7g. The ball shall be made of celluloid or similar plastics material and shall be white or orange, and matt.
The Racket – The racket may be of any size, shape or weight but the blade shall be flat and rigid. 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. 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 2.0mm, or sandwich rubber, with pimples inwards or outwards, having a total thickness including adhesive of not more than 4.0mm. 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. 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 2.0mm. 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. 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. 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. The racket covering shall be used without any physical, chemical or other treatment. 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. Before the start of a match and whenever he or she changes his or her racket during a match a player shall show his or her opponent and the umpire the racket he or she is about to use and shall allow them to examine it.
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