Table Tennis Rules Q & A

Kyle McLaughlin asks:

I actually have question, on a return can you hit the ball directly out of the air without it hitting the table first?

Greg replied:

Thanks for the question Kyle. According to the rules of Table Tennis, you can't hit the ball until it has bounced on your side of the table. The rules for this answer are as follows:

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, not having touched his court since last being struck by his opponent.

and

2.10.1 Unless the rally is a let, a player shall score a point

2.10.1.5 if his opponent obstructs the ball;

So, as you can see, when returning the ball you must wait for it to hit your side of the table first. If you hit it before it bounces, and the ball was above the playing surface or heading towards it, you lose the point. If you hit it before it bounces, but the ball is not above the playing surface or is not travelling towards it (ie it has already gone over the endline or sidelines, or is heading away from the table), you win the point.

Hope this helps,

Greg Letts 9th January 2006

Copyright Greg Letts 2006

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