Table Tennis Rules Q & A

Steven Beckerman asks:

Can a serve bounce twice on the receiver's side or must it bounce once and then leave the end of the table? And can the serve go off the side of the receiver's table?

Greg replies:

Hello Steven,

In normal ITTF rules from the 2005 ITTF Handbook, involving players not in wheelchairs, the ball can bounce one or more times on the receiver's side, and the serve can go off the side of the table as well.

The rule involved here is

2.06.03 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.

So as you can see, there is no mention of how many times the ball can bounce on the receiver's side (other than that it must bounce once), and there is no law prohibiting the ball going off the side of the receiver's table during service.

However, for players in wheelchairs, some new laws have been added.

The ball is a let:

2.09.01.05 if the receiver is in wheelchair due to a physical disability and the ball

2.09.01.05.01 leaves the receiver’s half after touching it in the direction of the net;

2.09.01.05.02 comes to rest on the receiver's half;

2.09.01.05.03 in singles leaves the receiver’s half after touching it by either of its sidelines.

Good information to know if you play anyone in a wheelchair.

Best regards,

Greg Letts 13th October 2005

Copyright Greg Letts 2005