how-do-you-score-table-tennis

In table tennis, scoring is based on the following rules:

1. General Scoring Principle

• A point is scored when a player fails to make a valid return of the ball. This means that if the opponent hits the ball over the net and onto the correct side of the table, and the receiving player cannot return it in a proper way, the hitting player gets a point.

2. Specific Situations for Scoring

• Fault by the Receiver
  • If the receiver fails to hit the ball so that it passes over or around the net and onto the opponent's court. For example, if the ball bounces on the receiver's side, but the receiver misses it completely, the server scores a point.
  • If the ball hits the receiver's body or clothing before it has hit the receiver's racket. Suppose the ball touches the player's shirt instead of being hit by the racket, the server is awarded a point.
  • If the receiver hits the ball out of bounds. This occurs when the ball goes beyond the sidelines or end - lines of the opponent's side of the table without first hitting the table surface.
• Fault by the Server
  • In the service, if the server fails to comply with the service rules, the receiver scores a point. For instance, if the server does not throw the ball upwards at least 16 cm during the service, it is a fault. Also, if the served ball does not hit the server's side of the table first and then cross the net to land on the receiver's side, it is an illegal service and the receiver gets a point.
  • If the server hits the ball twice in succession (except in the case of a double - bounce or a let situation). If the server accidentally hits the ball a second time before the opponent has a chance to return it, the receiver scores a point.

3. Game and Match Scoring

• Game
  • A game is usually won by the first player to reach 11 points, with a margin of at least 2 points. So, if the score reaches 10 - 10 (deuce), the game continues until one player gets a 2 - point lead. For example, 12 - 10 or 13 - 11.
• Match
  • A match can consist of an odd number of games, commonly 3, 5, or 7 games. The player who wins the majority of the games in the match is declared the winner. For example, in a best - of - 5 - games match, the first player to win 3 games wins the match.
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