table tennis glossary
What is a Service in Table Tennis?
The serve in table tennis. Must be hit from an open palm with the ball tossed at least 16cm vertically. The serve initiates every point and is one of the most important shots — strong servers create immediate attacking opportunities.
Example in a match
You toss the ball straight up from your open palm and strike it as it falls. Your serve.
Table Tennis scoring with Volley
Volley scores table tennis with all the standard rules built in. Pick the sport at match setup, name your sides, and tap to score. Volley applies the rules from there — including the ones that involve "Service".
Free on iOS and Android. Multi-sport scoring across 9 sports with proper sport-specific scoring engines, ELO rating tracking, and tournament running.
Frequently asked questions
What is a service in table tennis?
The serve in table tennis. Must be hit from an open palm with the ball tossed at least 16cm vertically. The serve initiates every point and is one of the most important shots — strong servers create immediate attacking opportunities.
Does Volley handle service automatically?
Yes. Volley's table tennis scoring engine handles every standard rule including service. You don't have to track it manually — pick the sport at match setup and Volley applies the rules.
Where can I learn more table tennis terms?
The full Table Tennis glossary is at /table-tennis-terms-glossary, with 20 of the most common terms explained.