Player's Guide to SA Table Tennis Board League Table Tennis Open 2026

Under Law 2.9 of the Laws of Table Tennis (ITTF Statutes 2026), the rally is a let (replayed, no point) if:

• on the serve, the ball touches the net assembly, as long as the serve is otherwise correct (or the receiver or their partner obstructs it);
• the serve is delivered when the receiver isn't ready, as long as neither the receiver nor their partner tries to hit it;
• a player fails to serve, return or comply with the Laws because of a disturbance outside their control; or
• the umpire or assistant umpire interrupts play.

Play may be interrupted to correct an error in serving, receiving or ends; to introduce the expedite system; to warn or penalise a player or adviser; or because playing conditions are disturbed in a way that could affect the rally.

Wheelchair receivers have extra service lets (for example, a serve that comes to rest on the receiver's court, or after bouncing returns towards the net).

A ball that clips the net during a rally (not the serve) and lands on the opponent's court is a good return, not a let.

Unless the rally is a let, you lose the point if you (Law 2.10, Laws of Table Tennis, ITTF Statutes 2026):

• fail to make a correct serve or a correct return (a return must touch the opponent's court, directly or after touching the net assembly);
• obstruct the ball: you, or anything you wear or carry, touch it while it's above or heading towards the playing surface and hasn't yet touched your court since your opponent hit it;
• deliberately hit the ball more than once in succession;
• hit the ball with a side of your racket that doesn't meet the covering rules;
• move the playing surface (you or anything you wear or carry);
• touch the net assembly (you or anything you wear or carry);
• touch the playing surface with your free hand;
• in doubles, hit the ball out of the sequence set by the first server and receiver; or
• are serving under the expedite system and the receiver makes 13 correct returns in the rally.

You win the point if, after your serve or return:

• the ball touches anything other than the net assembly before your opponent hits it (for example, it bounces on their side and then hits the floor or them); or
• your opponent's shot passes over your court or beyond your end line without touching your court, or goes through the net, between the net and the post, or between the net and the table.

The vertical sides of the table aren't part of the playing surface. You may hit the ball with your racket hand below the wrist.

Under the Laws of Table Tennis (ITTF Statutes 2026):

• The serve must touch the server's right half-court and then the receiver's right half-court (the centre line counts as part of each right half-court). Law 2.6.3.
• Order of play: server, receiver, server's partner, receiver's partner, and so on in that sequence (Law 2.8.2). Hitting out of turn loses the point. Where at least one player of a pair is in a wheelchair, after the serve and return either player of that pair may return.
• First server and receiver: in each game the pair serving first chooses which of them serves. In the first game the receiving pair chooses who receives first; in later games, the first receiver is the player who served to the first server in the previous game (Law 2.13.4).
• Change of service (every 2 points, or every point from 10-all): the previous receiver becomes the server and the partner of the previous server becomes the receiver (Law 2.13.5).
• Last possible game: when either pair first reaches 5 points, the pair due to receive next changes its order of receiving, and the pairs change ends (Laws 2.13.6 and 2.13.7).

Under Laws 2.13 and 2.14 of the Laws of Table Tennis (ITTF Statutes 2026):

Changing ends

• The player or pair starting at one end in a game starts at the other end in the next game.
• In the last possible game of a match (e.g. the fifth game of a best of five), players change ends when either side first reaches 5 points.

Mistakes

• If someone serves or receives out of turn, the umpire stops play as soon as it's noticed. Play resumes with the correct server and receiver at the score reached, following the order set at the start of the match.
• If players haven't changed ends when they should, the umpire stops play as soon as it's noticed and they move to the correct ends at the score reached.
• All points scored before the error was discovered still count.

Under Law 2.4 of the Laws of Table Tennis (ITTF Statutes 2026):

Blade

• Any size, shape or weight, but flat and rigid.
• At least 85% natural wood by thickness. An adhesive layer may be reinforced with carbon fibre, glass fibre or compressed paper, but no thicker than 7.5% of the total thickness or 0.35 mm, whichever is smaller.

Rubbers (on any side used to hit the ball)

• Ordinary pimpled rubber (pimples out): total thickness including adhesive less than 2.05 mm, with 10 to 30 pimples per cm².
• Sandwich rubber (pimples in or out): total thickness including adhesive less than 4.05 mm, with the pimpled top layer no more than 2.0 mm.
• Matt, black on one side and a bright colour clearly different from black and from the ball's colour on the other.
• Covering must reach the edge of the blade but not go beyond it (the part gripped by the fingers can be left uncovered).
• Must be used without any physical, chemical or other treatment. ITTF regulations also require the covering to be ITTF-authorised and used as authorised, with no additives.

On the day

• Show your racket to your opponent and the umpire before the match and whenever you change it, and let them examine it.
• Under ITTF regulations, you can only change rackets during a match if yours is accidentally damaged so badly it can't be used. Replace it straight away with one you brought to the playing area or one handed to you there.
• Hitting the ball with a side whose surface doesn't meet the rules loses the point.

The expedite system stops games dragging on (Law 2.15 of the Laws of Table Tennis, ITTF Statutes 2026):

• When it starts: after 10 minutes' play in a game, or at any time if both players or pairs ask for it. It isn't introduced if at least 18 points have been scored in that game.
• Restarting: if the ball is in play when time is reached, the umpire stops play and the player who served that rally serves again. If the ball isn't in play, the player who received in the previous rally serves.
• Once it's on:
  • each player serves for 1 point in turn until the end of the game; and
  • if the receiver makes 13 correct returns in a rally, the receiver wins the point. The assistant umpire or a separate stroke counter counts the receiver's strokes.
• It doesn't change the serving and receiving order set for the match.
• Once introduced, it stays on for the rest of the match.

Under the ITTF regulations for international competitions (Statutes 2026, regulations 3.4.3 and 3.4.4), which domestic events may adopt or vary, play must be continuous except for:

Time-outs

• Ask between rallies by making a "T" sign with your hands. In individual events you or your designated adviser can ask; in team events, you or the team captain. If you and your adviser or captain disagree, you decide in an individual event and the captain decides in a team event.
• The umpire shows a white card and places it on your side. Play resumes when you're ready or after 1 minute, whichever comes first.
• If both sides ask at the same time, play resumes when both are ready or after 1 minute, and neither side gets another time-out in that match.

During intervals and time-outs, stay within 3 metres of the playing area. Unless the umpire allows otherwise, leave your racket on the table during intervals (you can keep it if it's strapped to your hand).

Under the ITTF regulations for international competitions (Statutes 2026, regulation 3.5.1), which domestic events may adopt or vary:

• When: at any time except during rallies, as long as play isn't delayed.
• Who: in an individual event, only one adviser, named to the umpire beforehand (a doubles pair from different associations may each name one). In a team event, anyone authorised to be at the playing area.
• Illegal advice (e.g. during a rally) from an authorised adviser: the umpire shows a yellow card as a warning. Any further illegal advice in the same match, from anyone, gets a red card and that person is sent away from the playing area.
• An unauthorised person giving advice gets a red card and is sent away straight away.
• A dismissed adviser can't return until the individual match (or, in a team event, the team match) ends, unless they're needed to play. If they refuse to leave, play is suspended and the referee is called.

This applies only to advice on play. It doesn't stop a legitimate appeal or a consultation with an interpreter or association representative about a ruling.

Under the ITTF regulations for international competitions (Statutes 2026, regulation 3.5.2), which domestic events may adopt or vary, players and coaches must not behave in ways that unfairly affect an opponent, offend spectators or bring the sport into disrepute, such as abusive language, deliberately breaking the ball or hitting it out of the playing area, kicking the table or surrounds, or disrespecting officials.

• Changing an undamaged racket during a match: play is suspended and reported to the referee.
• In doubles, a warning or penalty against either player applies to the pair.
• The referee can disqualify a player from a match, event or competition for seriously unfair or offensive behaviour, holding up a red card. Disqualification from two matches of an event means disqualification from that event, and you lose any associated title, medal, prize money or ranking points.