9.5 of definitions in the 2023 ITTF Handbook allow a player to present the ball, hold it STATIONARY, then move to another location behind endline and present/serve.
Key word is stationary. When the Service motion is started... it is started. The accepted interpretation of when a serve begins is based on this.
It would be a serve fault to initiate the service motion and stop it without continuing the serve motion. It is interpreted that the downward movement and stop without serve is deemed to be an attempt at a serve... and of course failure to start a serve and fail to make a proper serve is a point to opponent.
ITTF umpires have a precent of allowing the serve motion to begin with a downward movement, so long as the ball stays above table (but many never call it when pros drop ball a few cm below table)
It may also be possible with what Tony describes as a violation of good sportsmanship if the umpire observes and discerns it to be this.
9.5 Thus if the ball accidentally rolls off the server’s hand before he or she starts to throw it his or her opponent does not score a point, because the ball was not in play. For the same reason a player may place the ball on his or her free hand and hold it stationary but then change his or her mind about the type of service he or she will make and move to another position to do so. Provided he or she has made no attempt to throw the ball, no point is scored
