ITTF Rules of Table Tennis

Table tennis matches played all over the world are governed by an official set of rules and regulations defined by the ITTF or International Table Tennis Federation. This governing body sets specific regulations from equipment to scoring.

  1. Equipment

    • The ball used in table tennis should weigh 2.7 grams with a diameter of 40 millimeters. It should be made of celluloid material or any similar types of plastic and should be matt, white or orange in color. The racket can be of any shape, size, and weight as long as the blade is rigid and flat. The official ITTF rules state that the blade of the racket must consist of at least 85 percent natural wood. The sides of the blade must also be covered with rubber. At the start of a table tennis match or during a racket change, the player must show the umpire and the opponent the racket that will be used. The ITTF also states that the table tennis nets should be attached on both ends to the upright poles with heights of 15.25 centimeters. The top of the net should be exactly 15.25 centimeters above the table's surface. The playing surface of the table tennis table should be matt and dark colored, with a white sideline that is 0.79 inches wide, and with white endlines that are 2 centimeters wide. The net will divide the table into two equal courts.

    Order of Services

    • The right to decide the initial order of serving, receiving and ends should be decided through lot (i.e. through a game of chance such as flipping a coin). The lot's winner can then choose to either serve first, receive first, and which end of the table to start. When a player or team has chosen to either serve or receive first, the opponent will automatically hold the other choice.

    Scoring

    • During a match, a player scores a point if the opponent fails to properly return the ball to the other side of the table. The first player to score 11 points wins the match. To win a match, a player must be leading by at least two points.