How Table Tennis Let Serves Work Explainer
A table tennis serve is a let when it touches the net assembly but is otherwise correct. The ball must still bounce first on the server's court and then on the receiver's court. In doubles, that path must also follow the required right-half-to-right-half diagonal.
Because the rally is a let, no point is scored and the same server serves again. There is no fixed limit on consecutive net lets. Each replay starts a new rally under the same service order and score that existed before the interrupted serve.
Net contact does not rescue an illegal serve. If the ball fails to reach the receiver's court, lands on the wrong half in doubles, or the delivery already violated toss and visibility requirements, the receiver wins the point rather than receiving a replay.
Other service situations can also produce a let, such as serving when the receiver is not ready, provided the receiver makes no attempt to strike the ball. The umpire separates a correct serve disrupted by the net or readiness from an execution that never satisfied the service laws.
There is no fixed limit; each otherwise legal net serve is replayed.
Not if the serve is otherwise correct and lands legally; the rally is a let.
No. A serve that is otherwise illegal still costs the server the point.
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