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Paul Kovac	See if you can Stump the Ump... E-mail questions to Paul Kovac - your friendly on-line USATT umpire. Please note: Questions which have answers that are easily found by consulting the rules may not merit a reply.

Q: On a recent ESPN2 broadcaster a competitor served a ball under his leg and the commentator said the serve was legal. I thought that would be considered hiding or blocking the view of the ball. Is the serve really legal?

- submitted by Greg Thompson

A: I can not comment, because I did not see it. However, legality of the serve does not depend on a statement by Danny or any other commentator, unless they are also qualified umpires. Without going in the detail of the service rule, if the ball was on a stationary open palm, behind the end line and above the surface of the table, no part of the body or clothing blocked the view of the ball, and the free hand was removed immediately after toss, it could have been a legal serve.

Update: The answer to this question was valid at the time of posting, but changes to the rules now mean that the under the serve leg is no longer legal - please see the new ruling

- answered by Paul Kovac - your friendly on-line USATT umpire