The Longest Rally In World Tour History!

Wow, what a point, sad that the umpire stopped it..

why no one creates a video with full ending. Let people to see how in reality looks expedite system

may i ask, why was the point stopped? wasnt too sure from looking at the video alone

wow, that expedite system was so annoying with the referee counting the strokes, that would make anyone lose focus

Because that particular game lasted for 10 minutes, and this is the time whereby 'expedite' is enforced. If the score was 9-9 or 10-8 the umpire couldn't have done it.
It was the last set, it's a shame they didn't just let them finish it.

Interestingly Fukuhara had a Playstation table tennis game made after her in Japan when she was 17.

I do not like that rule one bit.. especially with the new poly balls coming that were made to 'extend' rallies. anyways thanks for the explanation

Nah man, I don't think they should do this anymore. I mean, it was such a beautiful point with beautiful strokes and then they stopped it because 'it lasted too long'. Should've just let them play the point.

Yes, I agree the expedite system should be started after the point is finished.

Can somebody explain what is the rule:
1. Is there any rule for maximum one point duration
2. Is there any rule for maximum one set duration.
If time is finished what happens next. Here some refere counted strokes, but is there any limit for the number of strokes per one point?

ok sorry guys I found the rule. If anybody interested, here is the link:
http://ittf.com/ittf_handbook/ittf_hb.html
The find on the left menu point 2.15

Expedite rule comes in regardless of whether a point is finished or not, total time allowed for a game is the norm when official umpires are involved, especially in a registered championships. Club players almost never play this rule (perhaps they should now and again to see what it feels like to go through expedite).

When the game or especially one point lasted too short it was bad for the show. So ITTF implemented plastic balls to make the game last longer. But when it lasts too long it's also bad and umpires stop the game.. ITTF goes to the dogs...

if ITTF thought long and hard,they would have adjusted the time before expedite is introduced.Think about it.

The poly ball for longer rallies,equals more time per game,equals greater chance of expedite being brought into play.

fanTT said:

Yes, I agree the expedite system should be started after the point is finished.

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Yeah agree, I can't understand that rule at all..

What about if two players agreed like Dan an his father, then 1 point would last 10 hours.

Pushers and chisellers

roadrunner said:

Expedite rule comes in regardless of whether a point is finished or not, total time allowed for a game is the norm when official umpires are involved, especially in a registered championships. Club players almost never play this rule (perhaps they should now and again to see what it feels like to go through expedite).

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No need for Club players to bother as it's almost nonexistent for a game to get to expedite with 'normal' players. It usually occurs when 2 pushers, sometimes called chisellers, get on the table and start pushing immediately.
The funny thing is that once expedite is initiated, very few points get to 13 rallies.

I never realised that with the expedite system a rally in progress can be stopped, it seems a bit illogical to me, would have thought they should wait until the next point to start the expedite

MegaZZ said:

I never realised that with the expedite system a rally in progress can be stopped, it seems a bit illogical to me, would have thought they should wait until the next point to start the expedite

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illogical - imo - yes,
But then, why they do it?

There is a schedule to follow, some cases, linked with TV schedule etc. So this schedule needs to be as near perfect as possible.
Possiblity of max 7 games at 10mins+, we are talking about up to 90mins for a match.

What if this point (OP video) alone is 3 mins? or 5 mins? before they bring in the expedite system? Thus causing it from 10mins to 13/15mins with just 1 point added?
Imo, they can't wait too long, as some cases, espeically 2 defensive players, the rally will go really long - as none of them has the urgency to finish the point quickly.

So both imo is illogical.

I think ITTF can consider looking at giving warning signs that the expedite system is coming into play.
Like having a shot clock (same like basketball) - or some light that turns on when into the 9th mins of the game, so the players knows that soon the system will come into play.

Tony's Table Tennis said:

illogical - imo - yes,
But then, why they do it?

There is a schedule to follow, some cases, linked with TV schedule etc. So this schedule needs to be as near perfect as possible.
Possiblity of max 7 games at 10mins+, we are talking about up to 90mins for a match.

What if this point (OP video) alone is 3 mins? or 5 mins? before they bring in the expedite system? Thus causing it from 10mins to 13/15mins with just 1 point added?
Imo, they can't wait too long, as some cases, espeically 2 defensive players, the rally will go really long - as none of them has the urgency to finish the point quickly.

So both imo is illogical.

I think ITTF can consider looking at giving warning signs that the expedite system is coming into play.
Like having a shot clock (same like basketball) - or some light that turns on when into the 9th mins of the game, so the players knows that soon the system will come into play.

Click to expand...

I am far from being a professional level player but I have just looked up the expedite rule on ITTF (thanks for the link Sali!). I used to be a professional chess player and the idea that a rally will go on for like several minutes doesn't bother me at all but I understand that this would be unacceptable for scheduling reasons. I was thinking a couple of things:

1. It seems the expedite rule is basically if less than 18 points (both sides together) total have been played after 10 minutes then it can come into effect. I am curious whether this includes towelling every 6 points and you know all the other thing players do to slow down the game (like touch their own side of table etc). I guess in principle it would be 10 minutes playing time (from serving to end of point) but thats quite hard to be accurate with. I think they should consider being a little bit more generous for example if less than 15 points total before 10 minutes or else less than 18 points after 15 minutes for a game the expedite rule should come into effect.

2. Instead of current expedite system involving counting by referee to 13 (which I imagine must be very stressful) they could have a limit of 2 minutes maximum for a rally (if not finished then server would lose similar to current rules) with say a beeping alarm every 30 seconds to warn the players and say one louder sound at 1 min 50 seconds.

Disadvantages to the above: rule change is bothersome as it would require retraining and it definitely involves more work from the referees even if specially designed alarms are available (which I know is for all kinds of other games). Also the system I propose means there the games can and will last longer especially between 2 choppers.

By the way, Fukuhara is far from being a defender and actually most points in that match didn't even get to half the length of that rally so...anyway it seems the audience really appreciate the rally, there was generous applause at the end if I am not mistaken