triple or more hits

Gerard McCarthy Asked 14 years ago

Alois, regarding the recently changed rule: “a player shall score a point: 2.10.1.6 if an opponent deliberately strikes the ball twice in succession”; This effectively allows a good return when the ball hits the finger then the bat.What happens in the case in which the ball hits the playing hand, fingers and bat, in any order, 3 or more times? Similarly, when the ball hits a finger, slowing down the ball, such that it dribbles along the bat as the stroke is made?

Alois Rosario Answered 14 years ago

Hi Gerard,

This is an interesting twist. I will go to my sources to find out.

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Gerard McCarthy Posted 13 years ago

What do your sources say?

Alois Rosario from PingSkills Posted 13 years ago
Here is the reply from Graeme Ireland. Hope it helps.

Hi Alois,

The rule specifically awards the point to the opponent for “deliberately” hitting the ball twice, and does not mention accidentally hitting the ball twice (or more), although the interpretation seems to be that if the ball is accidentally struck twice then play just continues. In the rare occasions mentioned in your query the return is good. The original draft proposal from the ITTF Umpires and Referees Committee used the words “in a continuous stroke”, but whilst this was not considered quite accurate that is certainly the intent of the rule. So if you are making a normal stroke at the ball and it accidentally hits the hand and/or the racket more than once during that stroke then play continues.

Regards
Graeme