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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: In returning serve, I take a second to get down in my ready position (bent knees) from the time I reach a standing position at the table. Every so often I play an opponent who repeatedly assumes I am ready, and who quickly serves during this period when I am moving to my crouch. Am I entitled to catch the ball and return it to my opponent in such circumstances (telling him I am not ready)? Or do I have to adjust my approach to returning serve to the pace of my opponent?

- submitted by PandaMan

A: You are entitled a reasonable amount of time (if there is an umpire at the table he/she will be the judge of that) to get ready to return the serve. In any case, the best thing for you to do is to raise your free hand to indicate that you are NOT ready. The umpire present does not have to give you the benefit of the doubt and declare a let just because you do that or you do not attempt to return the serve if he/she has a reason to believe that you are faking the not readiness because you are unwilling to try to return what appears to be a difficult serve. You will be a much happier player and observer of Table Tennis when you know the rules. Contact Margaret Smith at the USATT headquarters (1-719-578-4583), do yourself a favor an and buy a copy of the ITTF Rule Book. Your Friendly Umpire.

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