Changing Your Racket During a Match

You are not allowed to change your racket during a match unless it is accidental
ly damaged so badly you cannot use it. (Law 3.04.02.02, Point 7.3.3 HMO). If you
do get permission to change your racket, you must show your opponent and the um
pire your new racket. You also should show your opponent your racket at the star
t of the match, although conventionally this is only done if your opponent asks
to look at your bat. If he does ask, you must show it to him. (Law 2.4.8)
A Point
You are not allowed to move the table, touch the net assembly, or put your free
hand on the playing surface while the ball is in play. (Laws 2.10.1.8, 2.10.1.9,
2.10.1.10) This means that you can actually jump or sit on the table if you lik
e, provided you don't actually move it. It also means that your free hand can to
uch the end of the table (which does happen from time to time), just as long as
you touch the side and not the top of the table. You can also put your free hand
on the table once the ball is no longer in play.
For example, imagine that you have hit a smash past your opponent, who failed to
touch the ball, but you are starting to overbalance and fall over. Once the bal
l has bounced a second time (either on the table, floor, surroundings, or hits y
our opponent), the ball is no longer in play and you can put your free hand on t
he playing surface to steady yourself. Alternatively, you could have simply allo
wed yourself to fall on the table, and provided you did not move the table, or t
ouch the playing surface with your free hand, that would still be perfectly lega
l.
One thing to watch for is a player who bumps and moves the table while hitting t
he ball, such as smashing the ball. This can happen quite often and is an automa
tic loss of the point, and is the reason you should always check that the brakes
are on when using a table with rollers, since it makes it harder to accidentall
y move the table.
2.6 The Service
2.6.1 Service shall start with the ball resting freely on the open palm of the s
erver's stationary free hand.
2.6.2 The server shall then project the ball near vertically upwards, without im
parting spin, so that it rises at least 16cm (6.3 inches) after leaving the palm
of the free hand and then falls without touching anything before being struck.
2.6.3 As the ball is falling the server shall strike it so that it touches first
his court and then, after passing over or around the net assembly, touches dire
ctly the receiver's court; in doubles, the ball shall touch successively the rig
ht half court of server and receiver.
2.6.4 From the start of service until it is struck, the ball shall be above the
level of the playing surface and behind the server's end line, and it shall not
be hidden from the receiver by the server or his doubles partner and by anything
they wear or carry.
2.6.5 As soon as the ball has been projected, the server s free arm shall be remov
ed from the space between the ball and the net. Note: The space between the ball
and the net is defined by the ball, the net and its indefinite upward extension
.
2.6.6 It is the responsibility of the player to serve so that the umpire or the
assistant umpire can be satisified that he complies with the requirements of the
Laws, and either may decide that a service is incorrect.

2.6.6.1 If either the umpire or the assistant umpire is not sure about the legal
ity of a service he may, on the first occasion in a match, interrupt play and wa
rn the server; but any subsequent service by that player or his doubles partner
which is not clearly legal shall be considered incorrect.
2.6.6.2 Any subsequent service of doubtful legality of that player or his double
s partner will result in a point to the receiver.
2.6.6.3 Whenever there is a clear failure to comply with the requirements for a
good service, no warning shall be given and the receiver shall score a point.
2.6.7 Exceptionally, the umpire may relax the requirements for a good service wh
ere he is satisfied that compliance is prevented by physical disability.
2.7 The Return
2.7.1 The ball, having been served or returned, shall be struck so that it passe
s over or around the net assembly and touches the opponent's court, either direc
tly or after touching the net assembly.