The Longest Rally In World Tour History!

[Tony's Table Tennis]

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

I understand where you are coming from.
If it is 2 boring choppers, then yes, Umpires must intervene. And in all fairness to everybody, including the players, this match was a great match - not much time wasting, a mix of attacking and defending strokes from both players and it is possibly one of the best games which the expedite system actually "destroyed".
Trust me, when you have 2 defending players that chop the whole day long, you will beg the umpires to kick in the expedite system earlier.

To comment on your point 1.
The umpires has a timer/stop watch, when the game (set) begins, it starts timing.
All "time wasting", towel break etc is taken into account too

As I mentioned before, this system is to force the players to attempt to end the game as quickly as possible, as 10 mins and 18 points is really very long already.
the 15 point/10 min or 18 point/15 will make the match way too long - imagine all 7 games/sets are like that, we are taking about 2 hours match?

2.
Yes, it is indeed stressful, 13 hits does come earlier than 2 mins rally. The alarm may be a good idea, but then maybe 1 mins or 30 secounds etc. The sound to come from the net area, so it doesn't affect the other table.

But to be honest, this system comes into play like once in a blue moon, and 90% of the time is with 2 choppers.
Seldom you have an attacker vs defending that goes long, and when it happens, it is mostly women's, as they don't continue to attack all the balls.

For me, I wish to watch that OP video to finish playings. A bity the game/set was already 10mins. It would be pleasing to watch that point continue and ended by merit of the better player during the rally.

 

[MegaZZ]

When you mentioned there are matches where two choppers are just pushing the ball around and you are just dying for the expedite system to start there was in the back of my mind one particular Youtube clip I saw some time back, I just found it,

Thats definitely a good illustration of the need for expedite system (although in the video it was final point of the match I think). I am very patient but even I started to drift off after the two minute mark, it there was three rallies of similar length in a row I think it would serve as very useful sleeping pill

 

[warrencowan89]

I would think too long of game playing between two players can make audiences feel like they are doing practicing rather than on tournament. Audience may feel bored as well for long match without some eye catching and furious attacking.