Table tennis / Rule 2.8
Order of play
ITTF · 2026In short
Who returns the ball in singles and doubles.
Alternating strokes
In singles, the receiver returns the service and the players then alternate. In ordinary doubles, the sequence is server, receiver, server’s partner, receiver’s partner, continuing in that order. Partners cannot simply choose whoever is best placed to hit the next ball.
Wheelchair doubles exception
When a pair includes a player using a wheelchair because of a physical disability, either member of that pair may return after the initial service and reception. The prescribed server and receiver still make those opening strokes; the exception concerns the subsequent returns by that pair.
Independent explanations and translations, not official federation publications. Based on the supplied ITTF Statutes 2026, effective 01/01/2026: the Laws of Table Tennis and selected international competition regulations. Independent condensed explanations with wheelchair exceptions identified. Administrative, disciplinary and event-specific chapters are not reproduced in full. References use PDF pages.
Sources & approach ↗
Sources & approach ↗