Table tennis tournament glossary
Short definitions for the terms that come up when you plan and run an event.
- Bye
- A free pass into the next round of a knockout bracket, given when the number of players is not a power of two. Byes go to the top seeds.
- Best of
- The number of games in a match. Best of five means the first player to win three games wins the match.
- Consolation bracket
- A second bracket for players who lose early, so they still play several matches. Usually run alongside the main bracket.
- Deuce
- A score of 10–10, after which the game goes to the first player to lead by two points.
- Double elimination
- A format in which a player is out only after two losses. Rare in table tennis, because it takes many more matches.
- Edge ball
- A ball that touches the edge of the table top. It is good. A ball that hits the vertical side is not.
- Expedite system
- A rule that speeds up slow games. After 10 minutes, players serve alternately, and a receiver who makes 13 returns wins the point.
- Fault
- An illegal service. The opponent scores the point.
- Free hand
- The hand not holding the racket.
- Game
- Played to 11 points, with a two-point margin.
- Group stage
- A round-robin phase in small groups, typically followed by a knockout among the top finishers.
- Let
- A rally that is replayed with no score, for example a service that clips the net and is otherwise good.
- Marker
- A person who keeps score for a match without making rules decisions.
- Match
- The best of an odd number of games.
- Net assembly
- The net, its suspension, the posts and the clamps.
- Qualifier
- A player who advances from the group stage to the knockout stage.
- Referee
- The official in charge of the competition who decides rules questions and conduct issues. Different from an umpire, who controls a single match.
- Round robin
- A format in which every player plays every other player in the group.
- Seed
- A ranking used to place stronger players in separate parts of the draw so they do not meet early.
- Self-umpiring
- Players keep score and make calls themselves, with no umpire or marker.
- Service
- The act of starting a rally. Also called serve.
- Single elimination
- A knockout format in which one loss ends the player’s participation, unless there is a consolation bracket.
- Snake seeding
- A way of placing seeds into groups: the first seed in each group goes down the groups, the next seeds go back the other way, and so on.
- Time-out
- A short break of up to one minute that a player or pair can request once per match.
- Umpire
- The official appointed to control a single match.
- Walkover (W/O)
- A win awarded when the opponent does not play.
- Wheelchair player
- A player who plays from a wheelchair due to physical disability. Specific Laws apply to service, return and positioning.