Service foot tapping

Il Ill Asked 8 years ago

Master Rosario,

According to rules of ITTF can I pass the weight of my body with the left leg - it make sound of beats per floor - before contact of the ball?

Or I can do it sound (pass my leg per floor) only in the time of the ball contact?

Thank you in advance.

Alois Rosario Answered 8 years ago

Hi Il,

There is no rule around that. You just aren't allowed to deliberately distract your opponent.

← Shakehand or penhold grip Ovtcharov or Mizutani →

Il Ill Posted 8 years ago

Sometimes I do this but one my opponent tells me that I am not correct.

Hm.....?

Arjan van Luttikhuizen Posted 8 years ago

It's kind of a grey area isn't it? You can shift your weight from leg to leg easily without making any sound but perhaps some find it comfortable to step as part of their serve routine. The sound of the contact holds some information on the amount of spin though, so if your "stomp" is making it hard to listen to the contact sound then it should definitely be considered a deliberate distraction.

Jean Balthazar Posted 8 years ago

Whether it should or should not be allowed is a topic of discussion, but I have never ever seen it being sanctioned in matches, even when it was really really loud. I guess as usual the question would be "how to enforce such a rule?" Set a limit and equip each umpire with a sonometer?

Neville Young Posted 8 years ago

I remember watching a game some time ago, where the server continually stomped on the floor while serving. Eventually after consulting with a team mate, the receiver complained to the umpire that he found the stomping noise distracting. The umpire then directed the server not to make a noise while serving. So I guess that if you complain about it being distracting, then the umpire should support your view.

How else would the umpire know if it was distracting to you, without you telling him?