Table Tennis Rules- Applicable for Coed Table Tennis
THE TEAM
The team consists of 4 singles matches and 2 doubles matches. A team is eligible if they have enough players to play 4 matches. A player may participate in only one match per contest. Each player should play in the position respective of their order on the college ladder or their skill level. If a player in the first position fails to appear for the match then the second position player must move up to substitute and so on; thus, the team must forfeit from the last position upward. A player may play in a maximum of two games. Only two substitutions (one per starting player) may occur in each game. A substituted player may not reenter the match during the same game, but may play later in the match.
THE GAME
Length: A match shall consist of the best of three games. A game shall be won by the player or pair first scoring 21 points unless both players or pairs have scored 20 points, when the winner shall be the player or pair first scoring 2 points more than the opposing player or pair.
Tiebreak Procedures: If the contest is tied once all of the matches have been played, the winner will be chosen by adding up all of the games in each match. If that still results in a tie, the game result is a tie.
Coin Toss: The choice of ends and the right to serve or receive first in a match shall be decided by toss. The winner of the toss may:
• Choose to serve or receive first, when the loser shall have the choice of ends;
• choose an end, when the loser shall have right to choose to serve or receive first;
• or, require the loser to make the first choice.
Changing Ends: The player or pair who started at one end in a game shall start at the other end in the immediately subsequent game, and so on until the end of the match. In the last possible game of a match, the players or pairs shall change ends when 20 total points have been played.
Changing Service: Singles: In singles, after five points, the receiver shall become the server, and so on, until the end of the game, or the score 20-20.
Doubles: In doubles, the first five services shall be delivered by the selected partner of the pair who have the right to serve and shall be received by the appropriate partner of the opposing team. The second five services shall be delivered by the receiver of the first five services and shall be received by the partner of the first server. The third five services shall delivered by the partner of the first server and shall be received by the partner of the first receiver. The fourth five services shall be delivered by the partner of the first receiver and shall be received by the first server. The fifth five services shall be the same, but each player shall deliver only one service in turn until the end of the game.
The pair who has the right to serve in any game shall decide which partner shall do so. In the first game of a match, the opposing pair shall then decide which partner will receive first. In subsequent games of a match, the serving pair will choose their first server and the first receiver will then be established automatically to correspond to the first server. In each game, the initial order of receiving shall be opposite to that in the immediately preceding game.
In the third game of doubles, after 20 total points have been played, the first receiver will become the fifth server and the first server will become the fifth receiver, similar to the rotation in the second game of the match. The service rotation will proceed as it did in the second game with the fifth receiver (first server) delivering the sixth set of serves and the partner of the firth server (first receiver) receiving the sixth set, and so on until the end of the game, or the score 20-20. At 20-20, the player or pair whose turn it is to serve will deliver one serve. The other player or next rotation of the receiving pair will deliver the next serve. The two players or teams in proper rotation will alternate serves until one side has gained a two point advantage at which time that side wins the game.
If, by mistake, a player serves or receives out of their turn, play shall be interrupted and shall continue with that player serving or receiving who, according to the sequence established at the beginning of the match, should be server or receiver respectively at the score that has been reached.
Both: The player or pair who served first in a game shall receive first in the immediately subsequent game, and so on, until the end of the match.
SCORING
Unless the rally is a let, a player shall lose a point:
• if they fail to make a good service; If they strike the ball with a side of racket blade;
• if they, or anything they wear or carry, moves the playing surface while the ball is in play;
• if, in doubles, they strike the ball out of proper sequence, except where there has been a genuine error in playing order.
• if, in attempting to serve, a player fails to strike the ball while it is in play
SERVICE & RETURN
• Service shall begin with the ball resting on the palm of the hand, which shall be stationary, open and flat, with the fingers together and thumb free.
• The free hand and the racket shall be above the level of the playing service from the last moment at which the ball is stationary on the palm of the free hand until the ball is struck in service.
• The server shall then project the ball upwards to a minimum of two inches above the palm, by hand only and without imparting spin, so that it rises from the palm of the hand within 45 degrees of the vertical.
• As the ball is descending from the height of its trajectory, the server shall strike it so that it touches first their own court and then, passing directly over the net, touches the receiver’s court.
• When the ball is struck in service, it shall be behind the end line of the server’s court or an imaginary extension thereof, but no farther back than the part of the server’s body, other than their arm, head or leg, which is farthest from the net.
• The ball shall be in play from the last moment at which it is stationary before being projected in service until it touches anything other than the playing surface, the net assembly, the racket held in the hand or the racket hand below the wrist, or the rally is otherwise decided as a let or a point.
• In doubles, the points of contact of the ball with the playing surface shall be the server’s right half-court or center line and then the receiver’s right half-court or center line.
• 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 receiver shall then make a good return and, thereafter, each player alternately in that sequence shall make a good return.
LATE POLICY
Teams are expected to be at the location and ready to begin play at the time designated on the schedule. If at the starting time a team has enough players for four matches play must begin. If a team has fewer players then the start of the game will be delayed until enough players arrive. However, if the late team does not have enough players for four matches at 15 minutes after the original starting time, then any matches that can be started must be started from #1 down and in all other matches the team loses the first match and first serve goes to their opponent. If at 30 minutes past the scheduled starting time the team does not have players for the other matches, they forfeit a second game and that match is recorded as a 2-0 loss.
ELIGIBILITY
All undergraduate students and persons officially associated with the residential college who meet general eligibility requirements are eligible to participate. Club Table Tennis players, as being at the highest level available to Yale students, are not eligible to play Intramural Table Tennis. Any player who has participated with the Club Table Tennis team in this academic year, or intends to participate with the Club Table Tennis team in this academic year, is deemed as a “Club Player”.
DEFINITIONS AND RULES
The Ball: The ball is spherical, with a diameter of 38 mm. The ball shall weigh 2.5 gm.
Obstruct: A player “obstructs” the ball if they, or anything they wear or carry, touches it in play when it has not passed over their court or an imaginary extension of their end line, and when it has not touched their court since last being struck by their opponent.
Rally and Let: A “rally” is the period during which the ball is in play. A “let” is a rally of which the result is scored.
The Racquet: The racket may be any size, shape, color or weight.
Racquet Hand and Free Hand: The “racket hand” is the hand carrying the racket. The “free hand” is the hand not carrying the racket.
Server and Receiver: 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.
Strike and Volley: A player “strikes” the ball if they touch it with their racket, held in the hand, or with their racket-hand below the wrist. A player “volleys” the ball if they strike it in play when it has not touched their court since last being struck by their opponent.