Table tennis is an
exciting and competitive sport with specific rules and regulations
established by the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF). The goal of
the game is to use a racket to hit the ball over the net to the opponent’s
side. A point is earned if the other player doesn’t return it. A game must be
won by two points, usually best of three out of five games.
What do the table tennis rules and
regulations say about your racket? What are the most important rules? Find
out here. The ITTF has a set of regulations that govern the equipment used in
table tennis. Rackets must meet certain specifications related to size,
shape, and rubber surface. The ITTF maintains a list of approved rubber
covers and blades that players can use at authorized events.
Players must ensure that their team complies with the ITTF
rules to avoid any penalty or disqualification during competitions.
Wheelchair-friendly tables must have legs at least 40 cm from the end line of
the table for players competing in wheelchairs.Your table tennis racket is
the most important equipment you’ll ever use, so it’s important to know what
the table tennis rules say about it. The serve is done from behind the end of
the table, the server throws the ball upwards from the palm of the free hand
and hits it as it descends, so that it first bounces off the server’s own
court and then, when it passes over the net, it bounces off the opponent’s
court. The surface of the table must be an opaque, non-reflective color that
contrasts with the white and orange of the balls.The adhesive tape must cover
the perimeter of the head to protect it from bumps and dents caused by
accidental collisions with the table.
An otherwise legal
serve or hit may come into contact with the upper edge of the horizontal
surface of the table top and be considered valid, even if it bounces
sideways. Players must hit the ball alternately and let it bounce off their
side of the table before returning it. BUT if your opponent’s blow goes over
your side of the table without touching it and hits any part of you or your
racket, that’s still your point.By the way, although a racket is also known
as a paddle or bat in some countries, official table tennis laws call it a
racket, so I’ll use that term from now on. The turn of the fingers,
especially in the United States, reached a point where experts could produce
unaffordable services and the game became a farce.
The
blades can be made from a variety of materials, but the rules stipulate that
wood must be the majority material in any blade. In addition, to prevent you
from secretly changing your racket between games, you must leave it on the
table during intervals between games and you must not remove it without
specific agreement from a referee.The net is 15.25 centimeters high and
extends across width of center of table, dividing it into two equal parts.