Intramural Table Tennis Rules

*COVID-19 updates:

1. ALL players are REQUIRED to show the intramural staff member on duty their

“green thumbs up” for that playing date. Players can show the green thumbs up

on their smartphone or on a printout. If an intramural staff member is not present,

each player is required to show his/her opponent the green thumbs up before

playing. By playing intramural sports, you are entering an agreement to complete

the green thumbs up questions in complete honesty. If it is determined that a

player has not completed the green thumbs up questions honestly, he/she will

forfeit the season and will not be eligible to compete in any intramural activities

for one (1) calendar year.

2. The intramural staff member will have hand sanitizer and new table tennis balls

at the playing court. Each player must sanitize their hands before entering

the playing court.

General Information

1. All players are responsible for reading all information contained in the Playing

Rules, the Intramural Eligibility, Policies, and Guidelines.

2. Participants must have a valid photo ID with them at all times.

3. All players must be currently enrolled UA Little Rock students, faculty, or staff.

4. Intramural Table Tennis is governed by USATT playing rules and any

modifications outlined in this document.

Equipment

1. Paddles and balls will be made available to players for checkout at the time of

their match.

2. Players may provide their own paddles for competitive play.

Play Format

1. All scheduled table tennis competitions are referred to as matches in the rules

and will be played in Racuetball Court 2.

2. A match shall consist of the best two-of-three games.

3. In the first two games, a game shall be won by the player first scoring 21 points

unless the score is 20-20, in which case, the game shall be won by the first

player subsequently gaining a lead of 2 points with a cap of 25. The third game

Revised 9/2020

shall be won by the player first scoring 11 points unless the score is 10-10, in

which case, the game shall be won by the first player subsequently gaining a

lead of 2 points with a cap of 15.

Match Time & Forfeits/Defaults

1. Match times have been scheduled based on the availability provided by each

player, so matches are expected to start on time. There is a grace period of 5

minutes, however, for each minute the player is late, his/her opponent will

receive 1 point for the first game. If a player does not arrive at the playing

surface within the five-minute grace period, he/she forfeits the match.

2. If a player participates in consecutive matches in a single day, he/she can opt to

receive a courtesy 7-minute break between matches, starting from the time the

first match ends. For example: A player has matches scheduled for 5pm and

5:30pm. The 5pm match ends at 5:28pm. The player can opt to start the next

match at 5:35pm.

Service

1. The ball shall be placed on the palm of the free hand, which must be stationary

and above the level of the playing surface.

2. Service shall commence by the server projecting the ball by hand only, without

imparting spin and nearly vertically upward. As the ball is descending, it shall be

struck so that it touches first the server's court and then passes directly over the

net and touches the receiver's court.

3. If, in attempting to serve, the server misses the ball altogether, it is a lost point.

Ball in Play

1. The ball is in play from the moment at which it is projected from the hand in

service until:

a. It has touched one court twice consecutively

b. It has, except in service, touched each court alternately without having

been struck by the racket intermediately

c. It has been struck by any player more than once consecutively

d. It has touched any player or anything that is worn or carried except the

racket or racket hand below the wrist.

e. On the volley, it comes in contact with the racket or racket hand, below the

wrist.

f. It touches any object other than the net or supports.

Revised 9/2020

Choice of the Order of Play

1. The choice of ends and the right to be server or receiver in every match shall be

decided by coin toss or rock/paper/scissors. The winner shall have the choice of

either being server or receiver, or the choice of ends. The other player will then

take the remaining choice.

Order of Service

1. After five points the receiver shall become the server, and the server the

receiver, and so on after each five points until the end of the game or the score

20-20.

2. From the score 20-20, the service shall change after each point until the end of

the game.

3. The player who served first in a game shall be receiver first in the subsequent

game and so on until the end of the match.

A Let

1. If a served ball, while passing over the net, touches it or its supports and is

otherwise good, a let is declared, and the point is re-played.

2. A let is declared if the receiver is not ready to return the service and makes no

attempt to strike at the ball.

3. The rally is a let if the ball becomes split or otherwise fractured in play.

A Point

1. Unless the rally is a let, a player shall score a point if:

a. The opponent fails to make a correct service

b. The opponent fails to make a correct return

c. After s/he has made a service or a return, the ball touches anything other

than the net assembly before being struck by the opponent

d. The ball passes over his/her court or beyond his/her end line without

touching his/her court, after being struck by the opponent

e. The opponent obstructs the ball

f. The opponent intentionally strikes the ball twice successively

g. The opponent, or anything the opponent wears or carries, moves the

playing surface

h. The opponent, or anything the opponent wears or carries, touches the net

assembly

Revised 9/2020

i. The opponent's free hand touches the playing surface

j. The opponent touches the table with either hand before striking the ball

Revised 9/2020