blog

What are the rules, regulations, and misconceptions of Table Tennis?

Table tennis is one of the most popular sports globally and is played by millions of people every day. There are two types of table tennis: recreation and competitive table tennis sport. This blog post will explore all aspects of table tennis, from playing ping pong to some common misconceptions about the game!

Playing table tennis is a lot of fun and can be done at any age or skill level. To play, you need two players, a ping pong ball and a table with a net dividing it into halves. (it’s wise to have more than one ping pong ball on hand during a game).

To win in competitive play, you must score eleven points. In the recreational sport, points do not matter, and it is more about winning a match by two games (four games in double competitions)

 

 

Here are some of the basic Table Tennis Rules: 

  1. The server starts with a grip on the ball and may use any part of your body to hit it, as long as he holds the bat in one hand only. The server then hits the ball, and it must touch the table or the other player’s racket. If it hits the floor, you lose your server, and it goes to the other opponent.
  2. A serve can be executed in two ways: by pushing or pulling a ball across the table using any part of either player’s body except his hands; or with a bat called a racket.
  3. When one player starts to serve, that doesn’t mean if he wins that paddle that he gets one point, but rather it means the game continues and gets to serve the ball again and starts to gain points up until he messes up the play. Then it goes to the other player to serve.
  4. The center of the table is divided into two halves by a net, which is usually about one inch from the surface and up to six inches high if you are playing ping pong at home with friends. The “service” area is the space that crosses the net in the middle of your opponent’s half. From there, you can serve by either flipping it over or hitting it with a backhand – whichever is more comfortable to you!
  5. If you are playing ping pong at home with friends, the net can be lower – but not exceed six inches.
  6. On a serve if it hits the net and goes over, it isn’t a good serve and must be retried. You can serve up to three consecutive times before you lose your serve.
  7. To get that point, your opponent must either miss an attempted return or fail to make good contact with the first shot. (The best way beginners start playing is to start with serving and hoping you can hit a few shots against them without losing your serve.)
  8. If the ball hits the net during a rally and then goes over, it is called a “let,” and the rally continues.
  9. Playing the game can be done with two rackets on each side (singles) or one racket per player for doubles.
  10. A ball that touches the net after it has hit a player’s racket does not count as part of the point, and an opponent is allowed to let it bounce once on their side before hitting again – unless, of course, you want them to take responsibility for a “let” serve!
  11. If you try to hit your opponent’s racket, this could be considered illegal behavior and will result in an instant loss of service for that player.
  12. Touching the table with a hand, foot, or back of the racket is illegal.
  13. You can not hit a ball that has bounced twice on your side of the table with any part of your body.
  14. If you, during a serve or during a rally, bounces back to your side before your opponent can touch it, you automatically win the point.
  15. If you move the table during a play, the movement must be small and necessary; otherwise, the other player gets the point.
  16. Before a player gets the winning serve, the other player gets curtsy.
  17. When a player scores 15 points, it is called “love,” and they win the game. If that happens to their partner on their side of the table, then there’s no love!
  18. The game ends when one player wins eleven points and has two points lead on their opponent’s score. For example, if both players have ten points, they continue playing until one player gains two points in a row.
 

Here is some misconception upon playing table tennis which is as follows:

  1. Some think it’s illegal to hit the ball with a backhand, but that is incorrect.
  2. Some think It’s illegal if the ball hits my paddle hand, as it is only illegal if the ball hits your body to go in bounce.
  3. It is legal to serve as hard as you want but be careful when serving hard that goes in the right direction.
 

 

       4. One of the most common misconceptions surrounding table tennis is that it’s a game for children. It couldn’t be further from the                   truth, as many professional players are in their twenties and thirties.
       5. Some think it’s illegal to hit the ball with a backhand, as that isn’t true as well.
       6. People think there is a time limit, but there isn’t one! The referee will stop the game if both players agree to take a break or don’t                   want to continue playing anymore.

What are things that are illegal to do? 

  1. It’s illegal for the ball not to be visible when served, as it must be visible during a serve. It also has to be struck with the flat surface of a player’s paddle and not their fingers or hands.
  2. It’s illegal to distract your opponent by making noises during gameplay, including clapping your hands, shouting at them, or waving around your arms.
  3. It’s illegal for players to touch the table with their non-paddle hand during gameplay or even to have the player’s foot or any other part of their body touching the table while they’re playing.
  4. If the payer isn’t ready for the serve and you do a quick-serve, that would be illegal as well.
 

The best way is to go by the rules and regulations of table tennis.

Table tennis is an excellent workout! It’s an intense sport that will help you improve your reflexes, hand-eye coordination, and speed. It also a game that requires quick reflexes, good hand-eye coordination, and anticipation. It’s also an excellent way to keep fit.

Here are some ways you can improve your table tennis skills:

Take up lessons or enroll in classes.

  • Watch the professionals play on TV.
  • Read books about table tennis.
  • Follow tutorials online for step by steps on how to play.

I hope you enjoyed this blog post about table tennis! I always enjoy playing the game and would love to hear what you think of it. Also, if there is anything else that has been confusing, feel free to ask me – I’ll be happy to answer any questions!

 

Also Read: What type of table tennis paddles do professionals use?