Touching the table with free hand

Rules

Alfredo Torres
Member Badge Alfredo Torres Asked 3 weeks ago

Hi.

A player touches the table with his free hand ("lost his balance"), but claims this happened after he had won the point.  Is this a legal point?


Alois Rosario
Member Badge Alois Rosario Answered 3 weeks ago

Hi Alfredo,

In table tennis, the point is officially over when the rally has ended according to the rules. If a player touches the table with their free hand after the point has already been won, the touch does not affect the outcome. However, if the free hand touches the table before or while the ball is still in play, the player loses the point.

To determine the legality of the point, you need to establish the exact sequence of events:

  • If the ball was already dead (e.g., the opponent failed to return it legally) before the touch, the player still wins the point.

  • If the player touched the table while the ball was still in play, they lose the point.

A clear ruling would depend on when the umpire considers the point to have been decided.


Recommended Video

Table Tennis Video Tutorial

Hitting the Ball on the Full

In this video we explain what happens when someone hits the ball before it bounces in a rally. This is also known as hitting the ball on the full. The point stop immediately when this happens but who's point is it? This depends on where the ball was hit. Watch the video to find out more.

Watch Now

No comments yet!


Become a free member to post a comment about this question.