TTT Rules

Information for Players - Rules are Below:

• Registration:

  • Each player should register on Tuesday 21st January 2025.  Anyone unable to do so must advise WTTTW in advance of the Tournament.

  • Each player will receive a free WTTTW T-shirt and a Yishale Sandpaper bat at registration - see above pictures.

    • Please tell your Organiser what size T-shirt you require.

• Approved Bats for WTTTW World Cup Macau 2025:

  • Sandpaper: any 100% wood blade/paddle with any sandpaper.  However, in the team match against China on Saturday 25th, players will be required to use Yishale Sandpaper Bats.  Each player will be given a Yishale bat at registration on Tuesday 21st January.

  • Wood: any 100% wood blade with no glue residue.

  • Hardbat: any 100% wood blade with a sponge-free rubber cover that meets ITTF’s Hardbat requirements, or USATT requirements.  Examples include:

    •  Leyland ("Hock" rubber)

    •  Air Classique

    • Andro Classic

    • Dunlop Barna Original

    • Friendship RITC "Dr Evil"

    • ATP Reisman, ATP "Leland Era"

    • TSP Millitall

    • Yasaka A-1-2, A-1, or A2

    • Yasaka Cobalt 

    • Orthodox DX

    • As an example, WINNING NP8 EXTRA SPEED NO SPONGE TABLE TENNIS RUBBER (OX thickness) is ITTF approved and sponge-free, so it is OK to use.

  • If you are not sure whether a bat is acceptable, email ContactWTTTW@gmail.com.

• Practice Arrangements:

  • There is a table tennis practice room (with lots of tables) at the  tournament venue - Tap Seac Mul Sport Pavilion.  These tables will be available from Monday 20th January.  There will be a charge of US$1.50/hour for each player.

• Gala Dinner - please confirm attendance or non-attendance, and guests

  • There will be a Gala Dinner, sponsored by and held at the Wynn Palace Casino for everyone involved with the WTTTW World Cup - players, officials, coaches, family, friends etc. on the evening of Saturday 25th January, from 6pm (ceremony at 7pm).  The Gala will be hosted by the Macau Government Sports Bureau, Yishale and the Macau Table Tennis Association, and this is a great honour for Traditional Table Tennis.

  • Each person will have an allocated seat, so the organisers need to know whether you and your group will attend.  Please tell us the names of everyone in your group and whether each person plans to join us at the Gala, or not.  As soon as possible please - there's not much time left to organise this.  Email ContactWTTTW@gmail.com with names.

  • The Casino has requested some musical performances - would you or any of your group be able to perform?  We're all friends in Table Tennis, so don't be shy.

  • Formal dress is requested, but not required.

World Traditional Table Tennis World

World Cup 2025, Macau

Competition Regulations

WTTTW World Cup competition rules:

1.      The group stage adopts a best of three games system, and the knockout stage adopts a best of five games system.  The “Golden Ball” rule is that each game is divided into 15 points, and whoever first reaches 15 points in each game is the winner of that game.

2.      In the deciding game, players change ends when the first player reaches 7 points.

3.      The rules for applying for a “2-point ball” in international competitions are as follows:

a.      In the group stage, where there are two wins in three games, both players have the right to apply for a “2-point ball” once;

b.      For matches with three out of five wins, both players have the right to apply for a “2-point ball” twice.

c.      Before serving, the player may signal to the referee and the opponent that the next ball is a “2-point ball”.   

                                                    i. If the applicant wins, they will receive 2 points;

                                                   ii. If the applicant loses, the opponent gets 1 point. 

d.      For the benefit of the audience, the ball used for this should be a different colour to the main ball used.

e.      A player may only choose to play a “2-point ball” once in each game; and only when their score is between 0-12 points. 

f.       The “2-point ball” does not affect the order of serving (for example, if player A wins a “2-point ball” successfully at 11:10, the score is then 13:10, and it is player B’s turn to serve twice).

4.      In addition to the specific rules mentioned above, the latest approved table tennis competition rules of the International Table Tennis Federation will be followed.

5.  Bats used in each Discipline must comply with the requirements stated in the relevant section of the Tournament Information. 

For the Yishale No. 5 Macau Sandpaper World Cup (the Team event on Saturday 25th January) ONLY, an additional rule applies:

5.      The WTTTW World Cup specific Sandpaper bat, as provided by the organizer, must be used by all players.  When players change ends, they must also change bats.