The Future of tabletennis - new rules by the ITTF

[ML]

The ITTF thinks about some changes of the rules!

- only backhand services

- service should change like the tennis-tiebreak-system. The first player starts with one service, then the other follows with two services and then everytime change after two services

- sets should not go until 21 points, they will stop at 11 points

It´s not only that they think about it - no, they want to decide these changes at the WM in Osaka!!

What do you think about these changes?
Would this be the same sport as before? Our sport?

[Thorsten]

Originally posted by ml

What do you think about these changes?
Would this be the same sport as before? Our sport?

The same question has been asked by hard rubber players ever since the late 50's (They even coined the term 'junk rubbers' as opposed to their tactical rubbers). I think most people do not like change, especially when their good at something.

That said,
in my oppinion they should not change so many aspects of the game at once.
My feeling is that the 40 mm Ball was not tested thoroughly before its introduction and they are rushing this again.

[zachary]

I too have serious doubts that these changes will end up improving the sport.

In response to ml's post though, I just wanted to clarify: I believe the proposed new ITTF service-rule is something like 'only serves in front of the body allowed' rather than strictly 'only backhand serves allowed', right?

I believe this service rule was tried at the ITTF Barcelona Tour Stop - it resulted in almost all players serving with the backhand only because the referees were very strict with their interpretation and almost all forehand serves were seen as violating the no-hiding rule.

Questions: how did top players assess the Barcelona stop? If any of you watched it, what are your thoughts?

[be2me]

When it comes to a discussion about serving, I am a little biased. My return is really bad. Sometimes I get the feeling that I can not return a single service no matter how easy it is supposed to be.
I hate (and I think many are with me on this) to lose just because of the serice.

BUT, that is a shortcoming of mine and not something that has to be handled by some commitee. Tabletennis is fun as it is and I cannot see that there will be more tv time no matter what they are going to change (and as I understand this is what it is all about, isn't it ?)

[Kjell]

wrong way!
more time for discussion and tests necessary!

[Michi88]

Hey, only one person has voted for "good".

[Trask]

Hey Michi88,
die hard

[Michi88]

I have to correct myself: 2 Persons!

sets ending at 11 points are ok, but only backhand services would be terrible!!

[Pinguin]

the sets ending at 11 points - well, we won't be able to change this any more

But the regulation with "only backhand services" would - in my opinion - be the best one which can really be controlled... all the regulations concerning not-hiding the ball have one problem: the referee has to count wrong services as faults, but imagine when someone of your team is counting in your match - do you really think that your teammate will decide any service wrong? That's the greatest problem of the service-regulations... so the regulation with only backhand-services would be the only one that can easily be controlled without any discussion in the lower leagues...

...so long