What is walkover tennis?

A walkover in tennis occurs when a player is scheduled to play a match but is unable to compete for any reason and forfeits the match before it begins. The opposing player automatically advances to the next round. It's different from a retirement, where a player begins a match but then stops playing due to injury or other reason.

Here are some key aspects of walkovers:

• Reasons for a Walkover: Common reasons for a walkover include injury, illness, personal reasons, or being deemed unfit to play by tournament officials. It's important to note that the player must withdraw before the match is officially started for it to be considered a walkover.
• Consequences: The player giving the walkover typically does not receive any ranking points or prize money for that round. However, they may still receive points and prize money earned from previous rounds. The opponent automatically advances in the tournament bracket.
• Not a Common Occurrence (Relatively): While not entirely rare, walkovers are less frequent than retirements. Players generally attempt to play if physically able, even if not at 100%.
• Official Recording: A walkover is officially recorded as "WO" on tournament scoreboards and results.

Here's a summary of important subjects as links:

• Walkover Definition
• Reasons for Walkover
• Walkover Consequences
• Walkover Statistics