Team USA Table Tennis

SPORTS TIP
Table Tennis Tip: When you face a new and unknown opponent, you're likely going to be unsure how the rallies are going to go. But what you can control is how the rally starts. Learn to use "serve & receive" to start rallies the way you want them to go. Rather than you adjusting to your opponent, he/she has to adjust to you. It doesn't matter if the opponent plays very orthodox or has an unusual style, you should be able to at least start the type of rally that favors you. A few examples:

• If you are good at attacking backspin, then a short, heavy, and very low backspin serve often forces a backspin return that you can attack.
• A short and low no-spin serve, as a variation to spin serves (especially backspin serves), is hard to either attack or push heavy, often giving you an easy ball to attack.
• If you are good in fast topspin rallies, then a topspin or sidespin-topspin serve often forces a topspin return that you can attack. Mix them up with big breaking side-top serves as well as short ones.
• If your opponent keeps attacking your short serve with a backhand, serve from the middle or forehand side so you have an angle to serve into the forehand, and force them to receive forehand.

Courtesy of www.TableTennisCoaching.com

Age ranges: Junior A, Junior B, Open

RULES
14.3.1 ITTF rules. The Laws of Table Tennis (Part 2) from the International Table Tennis Federation Handbook (http://www.ittf.com/ittf_handbook/ittf_hb.html) will apply with the following exceptions.
14.3.2
Exceptions
14.3.2.1 Serve. A let shall be called if in service the ball: (a) leaves the table by either of the receiver's side lines (on one or more bounces); (b) on bouncing on the receiver's side returns in the direction of the net; or (c) comes to rest on the receiver's side of the playing surface. However, if the receiver strikes the ball before it crosses a sideline or takes a second bounce on his/her side of the playing surface, the service shall be considered good and no let shall be called. 14.3.2.2 Table height. Either an adjustable-height table or risers may be used to accommodate athletes who are unable to reach the table. Risers, when used, must be approximately 2-3m wide, 2-3m long, and 12-18 inches high. The top surface of the riser shall be of non-slippery material.
14.3.2.3 Spotters. An average-height adult shall serve as a spotter for each player who uses a riser. The spotter's responsibility is to prevent the player from falling off of the riser.