Play is governed by the United State Table Tennis Association with Intramural exceptions.
All participants must meet eligibility standards as outlined in the Intramural Handbook.
All necessary equipment will be provided by the Recreational Sports Office. However, individuals may use their own rackets if so desired. Personal rackets must meet the standards set by the USTTA, including the following:
The racket may be of any size, shape or weight, but the blade shall be flat and rigid and shall be made of wood.
The side of the blade used for striking the ball shall be covered with either ordinary pimpled rubber with pimples outward having a total thickness including adhesive of not more than 2mm, or sandwich rubber with pimples inwards or outwards having a total thickness including adhesive of not more than 4mm.
A match shall consist of a best of five sets.
A set shall be won by the player first scoring 11 points unless both players score 10 points, the game shall be won by the player first scoring subsequently 2 points more than the opposing player.
Rally: The period during which the ball is in play.
Let: A rally, the result of which is not scored.
Point: A rally, the result of which is scored.
Volley: The ball is "volleyed", if the player strikes it in play when it has not touched his court since last being struck by his opponent.
Obstruction: A player obstructs the ball he, or anything he wears or carries, touches it in play when it has not passed over his court or imaginary extension of his end line, not having touched his court since last being struck by his opponent.
The ball shall be placed on the palm of the free hand which must be stationary and above the level of the playing surface.
Service shall commence by the server projecting the ball by hand, without imparting spin, vertically upwards so that it visibly leaves the palm.
As the ball is falling from the highest point of its trajectory the server shall strike it so that it touches first his own court and then, passing directly over or around the net assembly, touches the receiver's court.
If, in attempting to serve, a player fails to strike the ball before it goes out of play, he shall lose a point.
When the ball is struck in service, it shall be behind the end line of the server's court or an imaginary extension thereof, but not farther back than the part of the server's body other than his arm, head or leg which is farthest from the net.
If both players have scored 10 points, the sequence of serving and receiving shall be the same, but each player shall serve for only one point in turn until the end of the game.
The player who served first in a game shall receive first immediately in the subsequent game of the match.
In the last possible game of the match the players shall change ends when first either player or pairs scores 5 points.
After 2 points have been scored the receiving player shall become the serving player and so on until the end of the game or until each player has scored 10 points.
The server shall first make a good service, the receiver shall then make a good return and thereafter server and receiver shall each make a good return.
The ball is in play from the last moment at which it is stationary before being projected in service until:
It touches anything other than the playing surface, the net assembly, the racket held in the hand or the racket hand below the wrist.
A rally is a let when:
If in service, the ball in passing over or around the net assembly, touches it, provided the service is otherwise good or is volleyed or obstructed by the receiver.
If the conditions of play are disturbed in a way in which it is likely to affect the outcome of the rally.
Unless the rally is a let, a player shall lose a point when:
He fails to make a good service.
He fails to make a good return.
The ball is struck twice successively.
The ball touches his court twice successively.
He or anything he wears or carries, touches the net or its supports while the ball is in play.
If the players have not changed ends when they should have done so, play shall be interrupted as soon as the error is discovered and shall resume with the players at the correct ends. The score will remain at that which has been reached.
If a player serves or receives out of turn, play shall be interrupted as soon as the error is discovered and shall resume with those players serving and receiving who should be server and receiver respectively at the score that has been reached according to the sequence established at the beginning of the match and in doubles, to the order of serving chosen by the pair having the right to serve first in the game during which the error is discovered.
In any circumstances, all points scored before the discovery of an error are kept.
