doubles
General
andrew brand Asked 15 years ago
i still dont really understand how you decide who serves and to who in the start of the SECOND game and games after that. no one at my club explains it properly, they just debate amongst themselves about who's turn it is and they somehow come to a decision but i dont know how they reach it. could you clear this up for me once and for all please? id appreciate it. thanks.
Alois Rosario Answered 15 years ago
Hi Andrew,
This is a rule that is not well understood.
This is the official rule in the ITTF handbook:
In each game of a doubles match, the pair having the right to serve first shall choose which of them will do so and in the first game of a match the receiving pair shall decide which of them will receive first; in subsequent games of the match, the first server having been chosen, the first receiver shall be the player who served to him in the preceding game.
So, at the start of the first game, you do a toss. The winner of the toss has 3 choices. They can decide whether they want to serve or receive or which end they want.
If they decide to choose an end, the other team can decide whether they want to serve or receive first.
If they decide to receive the opposition pair must then gets to decide firstly which end they want and also who is going to serve first. The receiving pair then decides who they want to receive that serve. So they are dictating the pattern for the match. That is why in doubles the winner of the toss often decides to receive first.
If they decide to serve then they decide who willserve first form the two players in their pair. The other team then decides which end they want and also who is going to receive first.
In the second game the team that received first in the first game serves first. This alternates for every game from then on.
In the second game, after the serving pair has decided who is going to serve first (this can be either player in the pair), the receiver will be the player who served to that server in the first game. In other words you hit to a different player in the second game.
This does sound complicated but if you follow these rules you will get it right.
If you have any other questions with it please let me know.
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andrew brand Posted 15 years ago
Arnon Thaicharoen Posted 15 years ago
Don't know if I get it correctly but perhaps an example would clear this confusion up.
Alois, please correct me if I'm off the mark.
Let's say one side is player A1 and A2 and the other is B1 and B2. In the first set player A1 serves to player B1. Then in the second set, player B1 or B2 serves to player A1, let's say it's player B2. In the third set, player A1 or A2 serves to player B2.
That's what I deduce from reading Alois's answer.
Hi Arnon,
You've nearly got it right. However:
Let's say one side has player A1 and A2 and the other has B1 and B2.
In the first set player A1 serves to player B1, player B1 serves to A2, player A2 serves to B1 and player B2 serves to A1.
Then in the second set, player A2 must serve to B1, B1 serves to A1, A1 servers to B2 and B2 serves to A2.
The third set is the same as the first set.
If it gets to a deciding set then the service order switches after the first team reaches 5 points.
Take a look at our video lesson on the Rules of Table Tennis as we walk through a sample of this. Hope this helps. I must admit this is a little confusing.