Can You Volley In Table Tennis? (Rules Explained)

Volley is when you strike the ball before it bounces on your side of the table straight from the air, and this, of course, would be a great opportunity to gain a point in some situations. However, the question is, are volleys allowed in table tennis?

Volley, other known as the obstruction, is an illegal shot in table tennis, and you aren’t allowed to do so. ITTF Handbook clearly states that you are not allowed to hit the ball before it has touched your side of the table.

That being said, you can’t take advantage of volleys as you must in badminton. Now, let’s look at the possible reasons why volley isn’t allowed in table tennis.

Related: Do Ping Pong Balls Need To Bounce?

Why can’t you volley in table tennis?

Generally, you can’t volley in table tennis because you must wait until it hits your side of the table. The rule is made because the chance of volley is rare, and if you got one, it would be nearly impossible for the opponent to react to it because of such short distances and fast speed.

The rules are the rules, and there is no way around them, at least in competitive tennis. If you are a recreational player, you can make up your own rules if you so see fit.

Anyways, that’s just the way it is, and it’s best to learn to play by the rules so you can be as good a table tennis player as possible.

Are there faults in table tennis?

In short, there are faults in table tennis. A fault means when a table tennis player fails to serve the ball according to the rules of table tennis. If a service is considered a fault, the player get’s a second chance to do a service that complies with the rules.

Below you can find the service rules that an athlete needs to follow while serving to avoid a fault.

• 2.6.1 – Service shall start with the ball resting freely on the open palm of the server’s
  stationary free hand.
• 2.6.2 – The server shall then project the ball near vertically upwards, without
  imparting spin, so that it rises at least 16cm 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 or her
  court and then touches directly the receiver’s court; in doubles, the ball shall
  touch successively the right 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 or her doubles partner or by
  anything they wear or carry.
• 2.6.5 – As soon as the ball has been projected, the server’s free arm and hand shall
  be removed from the space between the ball and the net.
• 2.6.6 – It is the responsibility of the player to serve so that the umpire or the
  assistant umpire can be satisfied that he or she complies with the
  requirements of the Laws, and either may decide that a service is incorrect.
• 2.6.7 – Exceptionally, the umpire may relax the requirements for a correct service
  where he or she is satisfied that compliance is prevented by physical
  disability.

To learn more, check the ITTF Handbook filled with all table tennis rules.

Read also: How Many Table Tennis Levels Are There?

Can you hit the white line in table tennis?

As a rule of thumb, you can hit the white lines in table tennis; however, there are rules. If the ball hits the top or edge of the table where the white line is located, it is considered in, but it is considered out if the ball hits the side of the table.

Usually, it is quite easy to tell if the ball hit the top, edge, or side of the table because if it hits the side, the ball shoots off far away from where it shouldn’t. Also, if the ball hits the back of the table, it’s always in because it’s impossible to hit your opponent’s side table. After all, the ball would need to make a 180-degree turn.

What if the ping pong ball hits you?

Generally, you will lose a point if a ping pong ball hits you during a match and it hasn’t bounced on your side of the table. This is called obstructing the ball. However, you can gain a point by hitting the ball before it bounces if it has passed the end line of the table.

This is because your opponent has failed to strike the all to hit your side of the table. I don’t recommend trying to trick the system because it leaves the possibility that you hit the ball by mistake before it goes past the end line, which would give a point to your opponent.

What happens if you touch the table?

If you touch the table tennis table during a rally with your free hand that is not holding the racket, your opponent will gain a point instantly. However, many players touch the table when a rally isn’t going on because of a habit of wiping off sweat or mentally positioning themselves and the table.