Equipment
The Racket
The racket may be of any size, shape or weight but the blade shall be flat and rigid.
At least 85% of the blade by thickness shall be of natural wood; an adhesive layer within the blade may be reinforced with fibrous material such as carbon fibre, glass fibre or compressed paper, but shall not be thicker than 7.5% of the total thickness or 0.35mm, whichever is the smaller.
At least 85% of the blade by thickness shall be of natural wood; an adhesive layer within the blade may be reinforced with fibrous material such as carbon fibre, glass fibre or compressed paper, but shall not be thicker than 7.5% of the total thickness or 0.35mm, whichever is the smaller.
A side of the blade used for striking the ball shall be covered with either ordinary pimpled rubber, with pimples outwards having a total thickness including adhesive of not more than 2.0mm, or sandwich rubber, with pimples inwards or outwards, having a total thickness including adhesive of not more than 4.0mm.
The covering material shall extend up to but not beyond the limits of the blade, except that the part nearest the handle and gripped by the fingers may be left uncovered or covered with any material.
The blade, any layer within the blade and any layer of covering material or adhesive on a side used for striking the ball shall be continuous and of even thickness.
The surface of the covering material on a side of the blade, or of a side of the blade if it is left uncovered, shall be matt, bright red on one side and black on the other.
The racket covering shall be used without any physical, chemical or other treatment.
Slight deviations from continuity of surface or uniformity of colour due to accidental damage or wear may be allowed provided that they do not significantly change the characteristics of the surface.
At the start of a match and whenever he changes his racket during a match a player shall show his opponent and the umpire the racket he is about to use and shall allow them to examine it.
The Ball
The ball shall be spherical, with a diameter of 40mm.
The ball shall weigh 2.7g.
The ball shall be made of celluloid or similar plastics material and shall be white or orange, and matt.
Uniform
Playing clothing shall normally consist of a short-sleeved or sleeveless shirt and shorts or skirt or one-part sports outfits, socks and playing shoes; other garments, such as part or all of a track suit, shall not be worn during play except with the permission of the referee.
The main colour of a shirt, skirt or shorts, other than sleeves and collar of a shirt shall be clearly different from that of the ball in use.
The players of a team taking part in a team match, and players of the same Association forming a doubles pair, shall be dressed uniformly, with the possible exception of socks, and shoes.
The players of a team taking part in a team match, and players of the same Association forming a doubles pair, shall be dressed uniformly, with the possible exception of socks, and shoes.
Opposing players and pairs shall wear shirts that are of sufficiently different colours to enable them to be easily distinguished by spectators.
Where opposing players or teams have a similar shirt and cannot agree which of them will change, the decision shall be made by the umpire by lot.