2.1
2.1.1
2.1.2
2.1.3
2.1.4
2.1.5
2.1.6
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The
Table
The
upper surface of the table, known as the playing surface,
shall be rectangular, 2.74m long and 1.525m wide, 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.
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2.2
2.2.1
2.2.2
2.2.3
2.2.4
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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.
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2.3
2.3.1
2.3.2
2.3.3
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The Ball
The ball shall be
spherical, with a diameter of 40mm.
The ball shall weigh 2.7gm.
The ball shall be made of celluloid or similar
plastics material and shall be white or orange, and matt.
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2.4
2.4.1
2.4.2
2.4.3
2.4.3.1
2.4.3.2
2.4.4
2.4.5
2.4.6
2.4.7
2.4.8
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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 2mm, or sandwich rubber, with pimples inwards
or outwards, having a total thickness including adhesive
of not more than 4mm.
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
sq cm and not more than 50 per sq cm.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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2.5
2.5.
2.5.2
2.5.3
2.5.4
2.5.5
2.5.6
2.5.7
2.5.8
2.5.9
2.5.10
2.5.11
2.5.12
2.5.13
2.5.14
2.5.15
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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 otherwise 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.
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 travelling towards the playing surface and
has not passed beyond his end line, 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 umpire is the person appointed to control a match.
The assistant umpire is the person appointed to assist
the umpire with certain decisions.
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.
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.
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2.6
2.6.1
2.6.2
2.6.3
2.6.4
2.6.5
2.6.6
2.6.6.1
2.6.6.2
2.6.6.3
2.6.7
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A Good
Service
At the start
of service the ball shall be stationary, resting freely
on the flat, open palm of the server's free hand, behind
the end line and above the level of the playing surface.
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.
The ball and the racket shall be above the level of the
playing surface from the last moment at which the ball
is stationary before being projected until it is struck.
When the ball is struck it shall be behind the server's
end line but not farther back than the part of the server's
body, other than his arm, head or leg, which is farthest
from his end line.
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 good service.
If the umpire is doubtful of the legality of a service
but neither he nor the assistant umpire is sure that it
is illegal he may, on the first occasion in a match, warn
the server without awarding a point.
If subsequently in the match a service by that player
or his doubles partner is of dubious legality, for the
same or for any other reason, the receiver shall score
a point.
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, on the first as on any other occasion.
Exceptionally, the umpire may relax the requirements for
a good service where he is notified, before play begins,
that compliance is prevented by physical disability.
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2.7
2.7.1
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A Good
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.
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2.8
2.8.1
2.8.2
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The Order
of Play
In singles, the server
shall first make a good service, the receiver shall then
make a good return and thereafter server and receiver
alternately shall each make a good return.
In doubles, the server shall first make a good service,
the receiver shall then make a good return, the partner
of the server shall then make a good return, the partner
of the receiver shall then make a good return and thereafter
each player in turn in that sequence shall make a good
return.
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2.9
2.9.1
2.9.1.1
2.9.1.2
2.9.1.3
2.9.1.4
2.9.2
2.9.2.1
2.9.2.2
2.9.2.3
2.9.2.4
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A Let
The rally shall be
a let
if in service the ball, in passing over the net assembly,
touches it, provided the service is otherwise good or
the ball is obstructed by the receiver or his partner;
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 good service or a good return or
otherwise to comply with the Laws is due to a disturbance
outside the control of the player;
if play is interrupted by the umpire or assistant umpire.
Play may be interrupted
to correct an error in the order of serving, receiving
or ends;
to introduce the expedite system;
to warn or penalise a player;
because the conditions of play are disturbed in a way
which could affect the outcome of the rally.
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2.10
2.10.1
2.10.1.1
2.10.1.2
2.10.1.3
2.10.1.4
2.10.1.5
2.10.1.6
2.10.1.7
2.10.1.8
2.10.1.9
2.10.1.10
2.10.1.11
2.10.1.12
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A Point
Unless the rally
is a let, a player shall score a point.
if his opponent fails to make a good service;
if his opponent fails to make a good return;
if, after he has made a good service or a good return,
the ball touches anything other than the net assembly
before being struck by his opponent;
if the ball passes 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 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
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;
as provided under the expedite system (2.15.2)
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2.11
2.11.1
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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
player or pair subsequently gaining a lead of 2 points.
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2.12
2.12.1
2.12.2
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A Match
A match shall consist of the best
of any odd number of games.
(Deleted)
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2.13
2.13.1
2.13.2
2.13.3
2.13.4
2.13.5
2.13.6
2.13.7
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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, unless both players or pairs have scored 10
points or the expedite system is in operation, when the
sequence 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 either 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 either player or pair scores 5
points.
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2.14
2.14.1
2.14.2
2.14.3
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Out of Order of Serving, Receiving or Ends
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.
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.
In any circumstances, all points scored before the discovery
of an error shall be reckoned.
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2.15
2.15.1
2.15.1.1
2.15.1.2
2.15.2
2.15.3
2.15.4
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The Expedite System
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.
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.
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.
Thereafter, each player shall serve for 1 point in turn
and if the receiving player or pair makes 13 good returns
the receiver shall score a point.
If the expedite
system is introduced, or if a game last longer than 10
minutes, all subsequent games of the match shall be played
under the expedite system.
(Deleted)
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