OOAK Table Tennis Forum

Hello everyone I just want to start a small opinion thread on peoples thoughts on amateur/pennant players taking breaks in matches every 6 points and how long they should have to wipe themselves, have a swig of water, walk around in a circle 4 times in a row, wipe the table to clean the sweat off the table, breath heavily and look up at the ceiling and bounce the ball before they serve. Don't get me wrong people need to get ready for the points although some players have a routine at this 6 point break, if they do not completely stop play and do it less than 20 seconds I am okay with it but some people are taking it overboard and it is used as a strategy to put the other person's mind off the game or the one we all know slow the game down or just have their 6 point break not at 6 points and claim they still have that right after 6 points.

We all very know well that kids rush serves and points but for some of the 40+ players you also do see them take advantage of the 6 point break and take it to 30 seconds minimum of no play then serve and say they are entitled to this rule. Sometimes refereeing these matches I find it difficult to tell them to basically hurry up without them having a go back at me and tanking the match for it then telling everyone at the venue that I lost them the match and I cannot umpire and don't know the rules or rather for embarrassment humiliation. If you want to take a big break take a time out. That would be the sportsmanlike thing to do, but no one does that at all. I would like to hear other peoples opinions on this be it coaches, players, referees, spectators, people on this forum give their two cents as to when how long is just too long.

I am sure a lot of people have stories or have been in a situation where this was done to them in a match but I find it to be one of the biggest gripes of amateur table tennis. I know this is a small percentage of players that do this I still think it is clearly unfair and wrong to slow the game down to a halt and stop your opponents winning streak. Fair enough you can slow down. But stopping it is just not fair.

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Victas Dynawood Power
Tibhar MX-P
Victas V15 Limber

Is rare at our club for anyone to take a break at all, even change of ends. We've got a 76 year old who takes a drink but apart from a really hot night, no one else does. We are a very amatuer club though.

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Donic Waldner Senso V1,FH Baracuda Big Slam 2.0mm ,BH Victas Triple Regular 2.0mm

Had a quick check on-line and didn't see anything about the 30 seconds...
http://www.allabouttabletennis.com/offi ... -rule.html

Recently I was umpiring a play off for 3rd place in a local tournament and the older player was slowing down his game against a younger player who was getting the better of him. Not only did he make full use of his towelling break but also capitalised on the fact that he was wearing glasses. He won the match. Younger guy (13 year old) approached me afterwards and complained. I agreed that he was delaying the game and stated that the game was his. His delay tactics was clearly gamesmanship. I told him not to worry about it and that he would get the better of him next time. I did strongly consider giving him a warning but since it was not an official tournament and the fact that I'm not a uniformed or qualified umpire let it go. It did bother me a little bit but I wasn't prepared to become enemy no. 1 so that a young guy would have his day of glory. He'll have it anyway but it will just take a little longer.

Have also experienced elite players do the same thing and it was only when his opponent quietly complained during a table end swop that I highlighted that he was delaying the game. This was during an official event. He took offence to it and in no uncertain terms made it clear that he didn't like it been highlighted.

After a recent experience when a player argued with me as the umpire the governing body issued an update on the impact that yellow cards would have.
http://www.tabletennisireland.ie/news/a ... ons_scheme

Going forward if I have an issues on umpiring a match I'm going to step out and have the tournament referee step in to take my place. My view is if players are going to stretch the boundaries and engage in gamesmanship then in an unofficial tournament they are better off reducing the role of the umpire to a score taker and umpiring the match themselves. In an official tournament a uniformed umpire could be used for as many matches as possible resulting in higher entry costs.

Multispoke wrote:


Unfortunately for you, if this is a proper tournament with a proper accredited referee, the referee will know that they are not allowed to umpire a match or part thereof. What the referee *can* do is get someone else, hopefully an accredited umpire, to take your place.

I commiserate, however with your situation. Over the years I, an accredited though low level umpire, have been in the position of informally umpiring matches in pennant, and if you point out any infraction of rules then you are the worst person in the world.

Unfortunately the rule regarding pace of play is obtuse - "play will be continuous", and it is a judgement call as to whether someone is deliberately delaying things.

I note that tennis at the televised level has introduced a time limit for service.

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Retriever (sometimes golden, but often leaden)
Moderator, Inverted Retriever Technique sub-forum - http://ooakforum.com/viewforum.php?f=74