MODULE 3

✓ Games and Team Sports

Physical TABLE TENNIS

Education 3 ◼ Rules and regulation of the game

WEEK: 7

AY 2021-2022

STUDENT’S NAME: __________________________________________

__________________________________________
YEAR AND SECTION:

__________________________________________
DATE RECEIVED:

TEACHER’S NAME: RUSHEL RUIVIVAR-PATANAO________________

 I. Overview

One of the most confusing aspects of any sport for beginners is learning and understanding all the rules of
the game. Table tennis is no different, and sometimes it is even harder due to the constant rule changes in some
areas, such as the service rule.

As a beginner, it’s nice to be told which basic table tennis rules are the ones that you need to know
straightaway, and to have a bit of an explanation about some of the tricky aspects. So that’s what we are going to
do in this module. This will open your minds to the basic table tennis rules that you should know before playing
in any competition using ITTF rules (and almost all serious competitions follow them), and this will also help you
understand what the rule means and why it is there.

II. Learning Outcomes

At the end of the course, students must be able to:

1. Demonstrate understanding on the rules and regulation of table tennis

III.Discussion and
Self-Assessment
Activities(SAA)

DEFINITION OF TERMS:

A rally is the period during which the ball is in play.

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.
A let is a rally of which the result is not scored.
A point is a rally of which the result is scored.
The racket hand is the hand carrying the racket.
The free hand is the hand not carrying the racket.
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.
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.
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.
The umpire is the person appointed to control a match.
The assistant umpire is the person appointed to assist the
umpire with certain decisions.
 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.
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.
The end line shall be regarded as extending indefinitely in both directions

RULES AND REGULATION

1. GAMES ARE PLAYED TO 11 POINTS
A Game is played to 11 points. A Game must be won by two points. A Match is generally the best three
of five Games.
2. ALTERNATE SERVES EVERY TWO POINTS
Each side of the table alternates serving two points at a time. EXCEPTION: After tied 10-10 (“deuce”),
service alternates at every point. Can you lose on a serve in table tennis? Yes! There is no separate rule
for serving on Game Point.
3. TOSS THE BALL STRAIGHT UP WHEN SERVING
How do you serve the ball in table tennis? Hold the ball
in your open palm, behind your end of the table.
Toss at least 6” straight up, and strike it on the way down.
It must hit your side of the table and then the other side.
NOTE: Once the ball leaves the server’s hand it is in
play, and so counts as the receiver’s point if the ball is
missed or mis-hit.
4. THE SERVE CAN LAND ANYWHERE IN SINGLES
There is no restriction on where the ball lands on your side or your opponent’s side of the table. It can
bounce two or more times on your opponent’s side (if so, that’s your point), bounce over the side, or
even hit the edge.
5. A SERVE THAT TOUCHES THE NET ON THE
WAY
OVER IS A “LET”
Can the ball hit the net in table tennis? Yes, during a
RALLY, if it touches the top of the net and then otherwise
lands as a legitimate hit. BUT not when serving. If a served
ball hits the net on the way over and otherwise legally bounces
in play, it’s a “let” serve and is done over. There is no limit on
how many times this can happen.

6. ALTERNATE HITTING IN A DOUBLES RALLY

Doubles partners must alternate hitting balls in a rally, no matter where the ball lands on the table.
7. VOLLEYS ARE NOT ALLOWED
Can you hit the ball before it bounces in table tennis? No. In regular tennis you may “volley” the ball
(hitting the ball before it bounces on your side of the net). But in table tennis, this results in a point for
your opponent. NOTE: When your opponent hits a ball that sails over your end of the table without
touching it and then hits you or your paddle, that is still your point.
8. IF YOUR HIT BOUNCES BACK OVER THE NET BY
ITSELF IT IS YOUR POINT
If you hit the ball in a rally or on a serve and it bounces
back over the net after hitting your opponent’s side of the
table (due to extreme spin), without your opponent
touching it, that is your point.
9. TOUCHING THE BALL WITH YOUR PADDLE
HAND IS ALLOWED
What happens if the ball hits your finger or hand
during a table tennis rally? If the ball touches your
PADDLE hand and otherwise results in a legal hit, there is
no rule violation and play shall continue as normal. Your paddle hand includes all fingers and hand area
below the wrist. But what if the ball touches a player’s body anywhere else during a ping pong rally?
You may not touch the table with your non-paddle hand for any reason. It will result in a point for your
opponent. BUT if our
opponent’s hit sails over your side of the table without touching it, and hits any part of you or your paddle,
that is still your point.
10. YOU MAY NOT TOUCH THE TABLE WITH YOUR NON-PADDLE HAND
You may touch the ball or the table with your paddle hand (after reaching in to return a short serve, for
example), or other parts of your body. NOTE: If the table moves at all from your touching it during a
rally, that is your opponent’s point.
11. AN “EDGE” BALL BOUNCING OFF THE HORIZONTAL TABLETOP SURFACE IS GOOD
An otherwise legal serve or hit may contact the top edge of the horizontal tabletop surface and be counted
as valid, even if it bounces sidewise. The vertical sides of the table are NOT part of the legal playing
surface.

12. HONOR SYSTEM APPLIES TO DISAGREEMENTS

If no referee is present during a match and the players disagree on a certain call, the “honor system”
applies and the players should find a way to agree or play the point over. Ping pong carries a tradition of
fierce but fair play. Help us keep it that way!

TASK 1. Identification. Write the correct answer for each item.

_______1. It is a rally of which the result is scored.

_______2. The period during which the ball is in play.
_______3. The person appointed to control a match.
_______4. The player due to strike the ball first in a rally.
_______5. The hand not carrying the racket.

_______6. What would be the call of the umpire/referee if the ball passes anywhere other than between
the net and the net post or between the net and the playing surface?
7-8. Cite two (2) roles of an umpire.
9-10. Give two (2) responsibility of a referee.
 IV. Summary/Key
Points

MAIN ROLE OF TABLE TENNIS UMPIRE

1. Check the equipment regulation.
➢ Firstly, before playing the match, the umpire will check for the equipment. Whether you change your
racket during a match, you must show the umpire your racket.

2. Control the match.

➢ The umpire is the person appointed to control a match. While the assistant umpire is the person
appointed to assist the umpire with certain decisions.

3. Check the fault service.

➢ Umpire also there to check your service. It is the responsibility if the player to serve so that the umpire
or the assistant umpire can be satisfied.

MAIN ROLE OF THE TABLE TENNIS REFEREE

For each competition, a referee shall be appointed and his or her identity and location shall be made
known to the participants and, where appropriate, to the team captains.
The referee shall be responsible for:
➢ The conduct of the draw;
➢ the scheduling of the matches by time and table;
➢ the appointment of match officials;
➢ conducting a pre-tournament briefing for match officials;
➢ checking the eligibility of players.
➢ deciding whether play may be suspended in an emergency

V. End of Module
Assessment (EMA)

STOP-GO

STOP GO

List down at least three (3) concepts/ideas on List down at least four (4) concepts/ideas on this
this table that you DON’T fully understand table that you REALLY understand regarding
regarding the topic on this module. the topic on this module.
 VI. Looking Ahead

➢ Review all the topics in your modules in preparation for the Mid-term exams.

VII. Self and Module

Evaluation

Rate your learning experience in using this module according to the following scale.
Put a check mark on your response.
4 – I learned a lot from this module.
3 – I learned just right.
2 – I still need guidance on certain topics.
1 – I did not understand anything

VIII. References

• https://www.pongfit.org/official-rules-of-table-tennis
• https://gregsttpages.com/guide-to-table-tennis/the-laws-of-table-tennis/important-table-
tennisrules-for-beginners/
• https://pingsunday.com/what-is-the-role-of-a-table-tennis-umpire/