Umpire's Guide to SA Table Tennis Board ITTF Rules All Ages 2026

Check each element of Law 2.6 (Laws of Table Tennis, ITTF Statutes 2026):

1. Ball rests freely on the open palm of the server's stationary free hand.
2. Projected near vertically upwards, without spin, rising at least 16 cm after leaving the palm, and falling without touching anything before it's struck.
3. Struck as it falls, touching the server's court then directly the receiver's court (doubles: right half-court to right half-court).
4. From the start of service until struck, the ball is above the playing surface and behind the server's end line (extended indefinitely).
5. Not hidden from the receiver by the server, the doubles partner or anything they wear or carry.
6. Free arm and hand removed from the space between the ball and the net (bounded by the ball, the net and its indefinite upward extension) as soon as the ball is projected.

Making the call

• The player must serve so that you or the assistant umpire can be satisfied it's legal. Either of you may decide a service is incorrect, and a decision by the assistant umpire on this can't be overruled by you.
• If either of you is unsure about legality, on the first occasion in the match you may interrupt play and warn the server. After that, any service by that player or their doubles partner that isn't clearly legal is incorrect.
• You may relax the requirements where you're satisfied a physical disability prevents compliance.

You decide each rally as a point or a let (ITTF Statutes 2026, regulation 3.3.2.3.6). Under Law 2.9 the rally is a let if:

• in service, the ball touches the net assembly, provided the service is otherwise correct or the ball is obstructed by the receiver or partner;
• the service is delivered when the receiver isn't ready, provided neither the receiver nor partner attempts to strike the ball;
• failure to make a service or return, or otherwise comply with the Laws, is due to a disturbance outside the player's control;
• play is interrupted by the umpire or assistant umpire; or
• the receiver is in a wheelchair and an otherwise correct service, after touching the receiver's court, returns towards the net, comes to rest on the receiver's court, or (in singles) leaves the receiver's court over a sideline.

You may interrupt play:

• to correct an error in the order of serving, receiving or ends;
• to introduce the expedite system;
• to warn or penalise a player or adviser; or
• because conditions of play are disturbed in a way that could affect the outcome of the rally.

Either you or the assistant umpire may decide that, in an otherwise correct service, the ball touched the net assembly, and that the conditions of play are disturbed. A ball touching the net assembly during a rally after a return is still in play.

Introducing the expedite system at the right time is the umpire's job (ITTF Statutes 2026, regulation 3.3.2.3.8; Law 2.15):

1. Trigger: after 10 minutes' play in a game, or earlier at any time if both players or pairs ask. Don't introduce it if at least 18 points have been scored in that game. You or the assistant umpire time the play.
2. If the ball is in play when time is reached, interrupt play (a let). Resume with service by the player who served in the interrupted rally.
3. If the ball isn't in play, resume with service by the player who received in the previous rally.
4. From then on: each player serves for 1 point in turn until the end of the game. If the receiving player or pair makes 13 correct returns in a rally, the receiver scores the point.
5. Stroke counting: the assistant umpire or a separate official acts as stroke counter, counting the strokes of the receiving player or pair.
6. Introducing it doesn't change the order of serving and receiving set for the match.
7. Once introduced, it stays on until the end of the match.

You control the order of serving, receiving and ends and correct any errors (ITTF Statutes 2026, regulation 3.3.2.3.5; Law 2.14):

• Wrong server or receiver: interrupt play as soon as the error is discovered. Resume with the players who should be serving and receiving at the score reached, following the sequence set at the start of the match and, in doubles, the serving order chosen by the pair with the right to serve first in the game where the error was found.
• Ends not changed when they should have been: interrupt play as soon as it's discovered and resume with the players at the correct ends at the score reached.
• All points scored before the error was discovered count.

Reminders of when changes are due (Law 2.13):

• Serve passes after every 2 points; from 10-all, or under the expedite system, after every point.
• Ends change after each game, and in the last possible game when either side first scores 5 points.
• In the last possible game of a doubles match, the pair due to receive next changes its receiving order when either pair first scores 5 points.

Correcting an error is one of the reasons you may interrupt play (Law 2.9.2.1); the interrupted rally is a let.

Before and during the match (Laws of Table Tennis, ITTF Statutes 2026):

• Before the match, and whenever a player changes racket, the player must show you and the opponent the racket and allow you to examine it (Law 2.4.8).
• Check that the two surfaces are matt, black on one side and a bright colour clearly distinguishable from black and from the ball on the other; the covering reaches but doesn't go beyond the edge of the blade; and the blade is flat and rigid (Law 2.4).
• You're responsible for checking that equipment and playing conditions are acceptable and reporting any deficiency to the referee (regulation 3.3.2.3.1).

Regulations (3.4.2):

• The covering must be ITTF-authorised and used without any physical, chemical or other treatment, and with no additives. A racket must pass all racket control tests.
• A racket may not be replaced during an individual match unless it's accidentally damaged so badly it can't be used. It's then replaced immediately with one the player brought to the playing area or one handed to them there.
• If a player changes a racket that isn't damaged, suspend play and report to the referee (regulation 3.5.2.5).
• Players leave their rackets on the table during intervals unless you allow otherwise; a racket strapped to the hand may be kept.

A player who hits the ball with a side that doesn't meet the covering rules loses the point (Law 2.10.1.8).

Under ITTF Statutes 2026, regulations 3.4.3 and 3.4.4, play is continuous except for:

• up to 2 minutes' practice on the match table immediately before the match (not in normal intervals; only the referee can extend it);
• up to 1 minute between games;
• brief towelling breaks after every 6 points from the start of each game, and at the change of ends in the last possible game;
• one time-out of up to 1 minute per player or pair per individual match.

Time-outs

1. A valid request is made only between rallies, with a "T" sign: in an individual event by the player/pair or designated adviser; in a team event by the player/pair or team captain. If player and adviser/captain disagree, the player/pair decides in an individual event, the captain in a team event.
2. Suspend play and hold up a white card with the hand on the requesting side; place the white card or a marker on their court.
3. Remove it and restart when the requesting side is ready or after 1 minute, whichever is sooner.
4. If both sides ask at once, restart when both are ready or after 1 minute; neither side gets another time-out in that match.

During intervals and time-outs players stay within 3 metres of the playing area under your supervision, and leave their rackets on the table unless you allow otherwise (a racket strapped to the hand can stay on). Players may leave the playing area during a match only with the referee's permission. You, or the assistant umpire, time practice, play and intervals.

Under ITTF Statutes 2026, regulation 3.5.1:

• Who may advise: in an individual event, one person designated to you beforehand (where a doubles pair is from different associations, each may designate one, treated as a unit). In a team event, anyone authorised to be at the playing area.
• When: at any time except during rallies, provided play isn't delayed.

• A dismissed adviser can't return until the individual match ends (individual event) or the team match ends (team event, unless they're required to play), and in a team match can't be replaced by another adviser until then.
• This covers advice on play only: it doesn't stop a legitimate appeal or a consultation with an interpreter or association representative about a ruling.
• The assistant umpire must tell you about any breach of the advice or behaviour regulations.

Under ITTF Statutes 2026, regulation 3.5.2, misbehaviour includes abusive language, deliberately breaking the ball or hitting it out of the playing area, kicking the table or surrounds, and disrespecting match officials.

Players (same individual match or team match):

• In doubles, a warning or penalty against either player applies to the pair. In a team match it doesn't carry to the non-offending player's later singles; a doubles pair starts with the higher of its players' warnings or penalties in that team match.

Coaches and other advisers: after a warning, a further offence in the same match gets a red card and they're sent away from the playing area until the end of the individual match (individual event) or team match.

The referee can disqualify a player from a match, event or competition for seriously unfair or offensive behaviour (showing a red card), and can disqualify for the rest of the competition anyone sent away from the playing area twice. Very serious misbehaviour is reported to the offender's association.

It depends on the type of decision (ITTF Statutes 2026, regulation 3.3.3):

• No agreement between players (or team captains) can change a decision by the responsible official.
• In an individual event only a player in the match can appeal; in a team event only the captain of a team in the match.
• Players are under the umpire's jurisdiction from arriving at the playing area until they leave it, and under the referee's from arriving at the venue until they leave it.
• The referee can replace a match official at any time but can't change a decision of fact already made by that official.