Low fast serves—- not legal in tournaments

Nancy hicks Asked 1 month ago

I am 2 months into playing since the clinic to learn how to play. I was taught the proper way to serve is 6” up from the table from a flat palm. Many of the “seasoned” players serve very fast and very low and say they’re of in a tournament so the “legal” serve isn’t necessary. What do you say?

Alois Rosario Answered 1 month ago

Hi Nancy,

It's great to hear about your progress in table tennis. Regarding your query about serving legally, you're correct in your understanding of how a legal serve should be performed. According to the official rules set by the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF), the serve must start with the ball resting freely on the open palm of the server's stationary hand. Before being struck, the ball must be tossed vertically upwards, without any spin, to a height of at least 16 cm (approximately 6 inches) and then fall without touching anything before being struck. During the serve, the ball must be behind the end line of the table or an imaginary extension of it. 

Regarding seasoned players serving low and fast, while these serves might appear effective in casual play, they wouldn't be legal in an official tournament if they don't adhere to the rules mentioned above. In a tournament, every serve is expected to meet these regulations to ensure fairness and consistency in play. While it might be tempting to mimic the seasoned players for short-term advantage in casual games, I recommend practicing and mastering the legal serve as taught in your clinic. This will not only improve your skills in a way that's compliant with official rules but also prepare you for any competitive play should you decide to participate in tournaments. Keep up the great work and continue to focus on your development with the correct techniques.