Take the Rules Quiz!
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: I have two questions. 1st, can a player yell or shout at the other player, right after he hits it, but while the ball is in play? We have a player who often yells when he hits the ball, loudly, or he will shout at the other player, or just talk loudly to him, while the ball is in play. Personally, I find this very distracting and rude -- is it legal tho?

-submitted by Mark Curran on 11 Feb 97

A:While, generally, situations like those above (disturbances during play) are typical judgment calls by the umpire, behavior you describe would very likely be judged as unacceptable, and the umpire would first warn the player. A yellow card an a penalty point might follow, should the offence not stop.

Q:Also, during the serve, do you have to not just be behind the table's end of course, but does the ball and the racket have to be between the edges of the table.... can I server a back hand serve, say, from further out from the table's end? If I could draw this it would be clearer....I have read the rules, some guys say the ball and racket have to be behind the table end AND between the edges of the table. What do you think (know).

A: From the rules for a good service (ITTF, 2.6) it can be summarized that the ball AND the racket must be above the level of the playing surface AND behind the server's end line from the moment the ball is stationary on the flat open palm of the server's free hand until the ball is struck.

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