What are the fouls in table tennis?
William Rodriguez
Published Jan 11, 2026
If the player attempts to return the ball before it bounces, a foul is called. In singles competition, while the service rule allows the server to serve to any part of the table on the opposite end, in doubles, the service has to travel diagonally across the table.
What are the 10 rules of table tennis?
Equipment Rules
Table must lie perfectly flat at a height of 76 cm. The table can be made of any material as long as the ping pong ball bounces 23 cm after being dropped from 30 cm. The net should be 15.25 cm above the table. Paddles must have natural wood for at least 85% of their thickness.
What is an illegal serve in table tennis?
The ball must not be hidden from the receiver at any time during the service. This means that hiding the ball with your torso is illegal, and shielding the ball with the free hand or free arm is also illegal. It also means that you cannot put your racket in front of the ball before it struck.
Is the ghost serve legal?
The serve is legal and if your opponent doesn't touch it, you win the point if it lands back on your side. You don't have to worry about hitting it back again.
What are the rules of table tennis?
The ball should bounce once on the opponent's side of the table. A point is won by you is your opponent is unable to return the ball or if they hit the ball before it bounces on their side of the table (unless the ball has already cleared the table). Matches can the best of 3, 5 or 7 games – or any odd number you like!
18 related questions foundWhat are the 7 rules of table tennis?
Official Rules of Table Tennis
- GAMES ARE PLAYED TO 11 POINTS. ...
- ALTERNATE SERVES EVERY TWO POINTS. ...
- TOSS THE BALL STRAIGHT UP WHEN SERVING. ...
- THE SERVE CAN LAND ANYWHERE IN SINGLES. ...
- DOUBLES SERVES MUST GO RIGHT COURT TO RIGHT COURT. ...
- A SERVE THAT TOUCHES THE NET ON THE WAY OVER IS A “LET” ...
- ALTERNATE HITTING IN A DOUBLES RALLY.
What are the 4 serves in tennis?
In the game of tennis, there are four commonly used serves: the "flat serve", the "slice serve", the "kick serve", and the "underhand serve".
What is the ball called in table tennis?
Table tennis, also known as ping-pong and whiff-whaff, is a sport in which two or four players hit a lightweight ball, also known as the ping-pong ball, back and forth across a table using small solid rackets.
Who is the father of table tennis?
Ivor Montagu (1904-1984): Founding Father of Table Tennis: Sport in History: Vol 28, No 3.
Why is it called ping pong?
It is derived from 'ping pang qiu' in Mandarin Chinese (same pronunciation) which translates literally to “ping pong ball.” In other words, Ping Pong is the correct, Mandarin Chinese name for the sport. If any term should be considered offensive or dismissive, it's table tennis!" Not so fast there, Mr. Hautamaki!
Who invented table tennis?
In 1890, Englishman David Foster, attracted by its wide appeal, introduced the first game of tennis on a table.
What are the 5 types of service in table tennis?
Here is a list of serve types in table tennis that we'll cover:
- Forehand serves.
- Backhand serves.
- High toss serves.
- Back spin serves.
- Pendulum serves.
- Tomahawk serves.
- Chop serves.
What is the first name of table tennis?
The game was invented in England in the early days of the 20th century and was originally called Ping-Pong, a trade name. The name table tennis was adopted in 1921–22 when the old Ping-Pong Association formed in 1902 was revived.
What is deuce in tennis?
WHAT IS A DEUCE? The only time this is different is when both you and your opponent have won three points each and the score is 40-40. This is called deuce. When the score reaches deuce, one player or team will need to win at least two points in a row to win the game.
What is table tennis stroke?
The stroke is normally used for short balls, and its purpose is to stop your opponent from making an attacking shot. Start by standing close to the end line, facing the table. Your paddle should be open, 45%, and the backswing should short and with your hand close to your chest.
When the score is tied 10 to 10 it is called?
1 answer. Vote Up. nikita ⋅ April 22, 2016. In table tennis, deuce is a term to describe the situation where both players have reached at least 10 points each, and the scores are level, so that both players will be serving one serve each. Scores such as 10-all, 11-all, 12-all, etc, can all be called deuce points.
What are the parts of table tennis?
There are 5 main components of a table tennis racket that you should consider. These components are the blade, handle, grip, sponge, and rubber.
Who named table tennis?
1900, when the celluloid ball was introduced to the game, that the concept of tennis on a table became successful. Steve Grant has traced the name Ping Pong to an 1884 song by Harry Dacre. The distinct sound of the celluloid ball bouncing off the drum rackets quickly led to the use of the same name.
What is the first ball of table tennis?
The first celluloid ball was introduced in England in 1900, at a time when table tennis had traditionally been more of a parlor game than a sport, using balls made from cork or other materials.
How many serves are there in table tennis?
Each player gets 2 serves, and it alternates until one of the players scores 11 points, unless there is a deuce (10:10). In that case, each player gets only one serve and it alternates until one of the players gets a two point lead.
Why is it called a kick serve?
The kick serve gets its name from how the ball jumps or kicks up off the ground as a result of heavy topspin applied to the ball.
Which country is the best in table tennis?
China dominates table tennis like no country in any other Olympic sport.
What is the cost of table tennis?
The table tennis table price ranges from INR 5999/- to 39,999/- depending on the quality of material and size.
What equipment is used in table tennis?
The equipment needed to participate in a game of ping pong is similar to a shrunken down version of tennis. Table tennis is played indoors and includes just three pieces of equipment to participate. All you need is a paddle, a ball, and a table to play on! All the additional pieces of equipment are completely optional.
What is difference between ping pong and table tennis?
In table tennis only the serve has to hit the table on each side of the net, whereas in ping pong every shot has to hit the table on both sides of the net.