2.1 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 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 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 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 sq. cm and not more than
50 per sq. cm. 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. 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 and has not passed beyond his end line, 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 A Good 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 any part of
the body or clothing of the server or his doubles partner. 2.6.5 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. 2.6.5.1 If there is no Assistant Umpire, and the umpire is doubtful
of the legality of a service he may, on the first occasion in a match,
warn the server without awarding a point. 2.6.5.2 If subsequently in the match a service by that player
or his doubles partner is of dubious legality, for the same reason or
for any other reason, the receiver shall score a point. 2.6.5.3 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. 2.6.6 Exceptionally, the umpire may relax the requirements for
a good service where he is satisfied that compliance is prevented by
physical disability.
2.7 Good 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 Order of play 2.8.1 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. 2.8.2 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.
2.9 Let 2.9.1 The rally shall be a let 2.9.1.1 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; 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 good service or a good 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.
2.9.2 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; 2.9.2.4.1 because the conditions of play are disturbed in a way
which could affect the outcome of the rally.
2.10 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 good service; 2.10.1.2 if his opponent fails to make a good return; 2.10.1.3 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; 2.10.1.4 if the ball passes 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; 2.10.1.12.1 as provided under the expedite system (2.15.2).
2.11 Game 2.11.1 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.
2.13 Choice of serving,
receiving and ends 2.13.1 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. 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 and 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 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 good returns the receiver shall score a point. 2.15.3 If the expedite system is introduced, or if a game lasts
longer than 10 minutes, all subsequent games of the match shall be played
under the expedite system.