Walkover in Tennis: Meaning, Rules, and Real-World Examples

Nothing shakes up a tennis tournament quite like hearing that a match is a walkover. You’re ready for the big showdown, the crowd is buzzing, the scoreboard’s prepped…and then suddenly, no one plays. Instant anticlimax. The term “walkover” sounds a bit mysterious, almost like a dodgy shortcut or a sneaky loophole, but its meaning is straightforward—and the story behind it is worth knowing if you love tennis or just want to speak the language of the sport.

What Is a Walkover in Tennis?

The word "walkover" in tennis describes the situation when one player (or doubles team) automatically advances to the next round because their scheduled opponent can't—or won't—play the match. There’s no actual play on the court. The reason could be an injury, illness, emergency, or even a last-minute withdrawal. It doesn’t matter if you’re Novak Djokovic at Wimbledon or a club player fighting through a league bracket—the rules are the same. If your opponent can’t show up or play, you get the free pass. Officially, the match is recorded as a walkover, not a win by play or a forfeit.

Here’s an interesting nugget for trivia fans: The term “walkover” dates back to 19th-century horse racing, where if only one horse showed up, it just had to walk over the finish line to claim victory. In tennis, it doesn't mean the remaining player has to stroll onto the court. The decision can be made before anyone even picks up a racket. The International Tennis Federation (ITF) defines a walkover very clearly: if a player cannot play because of injury, illness, or a personal reason announced in advance of the match, and the tournament referee accepts the reason as valid, the opponent gets the walkover.

Key point: a walkover only happens before a match officially starts. If a match begins—after the first serve—and someone retires due to injury or whatever reason, that’s labeled a “retirement,” not a walkover. Confusing these two is a classic beginner’s mistake, but they’re different, both in scoring and in how they’re treated for ranking points and statistics.

Walkover in tennis doesn’t affect the winner’s official match win-loss stats the same way a “proper” win does, but it does move them through the tournament draw just as effectively. No points are awarded for rankings if you win by walkover, but you keep your nerve, conserve energy, and stay in contention for the next round.

Why Do Walkovers Happen and How Are They Handled?

Why would a professional player just throw in the towel before setting foot on court? The reasons are surprisingly varied and often out of anyone’s control. Here are some common scenarios:

• Injuries or health issues. The day before the match, a player pulls a muscle or suffers an illness that just makes playing impossible—fever, migraines, food poisoning, you name it. Sometimes the grueling schedule catches up with them. In 2021, there were more than 60 instances of walkovers in ATP and WTA tournaments due to injuries alone.
• Personal emergencies. Life outside the court keeps happening. Family crisis? Sudden travel issue? Sometimes even the world’s top athletes have to prioritize real life over a tennis match.
• Administrative or visa issues. Not as fun, but definitely happens. If a player can't get the right paperwork, or there's a rules technicality, they might be forced out before the whistle blows.
• Scheduling headaches. In large tournaments, particularly in the early rounds, matches can drag on until the early hours. Sometimes, players just can’t recover or physically be there for the next go-round, and the referee calls a walkover.

So what’s the process? First, the player or their team notifies the referee or tournament director that they’re unable to compete. They usually provide medical proof or a solid reason. If the official accepts, then the match is awarded as a walkover. No handshakes, no coin toss, just an advance on the tournament bracket.

Now for something a little trickier—the stats and prize money. Despite what you might assume, a player who advances by walkover doesn’t get ranking points for the “win.” But here’s the kicker—the advancing player usually still collects prize money as if they had won. The official rules differ between the ATP, WTA, and ITF, but the walkover isn’t treated as punitive for the advancing player. For the player who withdraws, they keep the prize money they’ve already earned, but may lose their entry fee or incur penalties if the withdrawal isn't legit.

Here’s a quick table to break down some recent walkover occurrences in top-level tennis, using WTA and ATP matches from 2022-2024:

Some fans ask if walkovers make tennis less fair or less exciting. The reality is, tennis is a brutally physical and mental sport. Players put their bodies and sometimes their lives on the line to compete at the highest level. Walkovers save careers and protect athletes from serious harm.

And here’s a neat fact: the ATP and WTA tracks walkover rates each year. On average, walkovers account for between 3% and 5% of all matches in a tournament. In Grand Slam events, which last for two weeks and involve intense back-to-back play, walkover rates tend to spike slightly in the later rounds as players’ injuries pile up.

Walkovers in Practice: Stories, Controversies, and Tips

The drama of a walkover can sometimes make headlines for all the wrong reasons. Remember the furor at the 2019 Rogers Cup when Rafael Nadal received three walkovers in a row on his way to the final? Some fans grumbled that this gave him too easy a path—extra rest, less fatigue, while his rivals slugged it out on court. But Nadal pointed out that walkovers are totally out of a player’s control; you can’t manufacture an opponent’s withdrawal. It’s just tennis luck.

Another famous incident: In the 2017 Miami Open, Roger Federer benefited from a walkover in the semifinals when Nick Kyrgios withdrew due to food poisoning. Federer, always sportsmanlike, publicly emphasized that any sports advantage is a double-edged sword—you get more rest, but risk losing your competitive rhythm too.

Sometimes, walkovers spark controversy. There have been occasions (especially at smaller tour events) where suspicious withdrawals led to match-fixing investigations, or players using “injuries” as thin cover for strategic rest. The governing bodies monitor walkovers closely; frequent or unexplained walkovers can result in medical evaluation requirements or even suspensions.

For up-and-coming club players, walkovers can feel awkward. Winning by default may sting—plus, you lose out on match play and experience. If you ever find yourself in this situation, use the bonus free time wisely. Do some practice drills, study potential next opponents, or just recharge so you’re sharp for your next battle. For players facing withdrawal, honesty is key. Communicate early, be transparent about your reasons, and respect your opponent’s prep time.

Here’s a little checklist for both sides—advancing or withdrawing:

• Notify officials the moment you know you can’t play.
• If you’re advancing by walkover, don’t get complacent—use the time to fine-tune your skills.
• Treat your next opponent with respect. They might bring extra heat, knowing you’re better rested.
• Keep injury prevention front of mind—walkovers more often benefit players willing to take care of their bodies and avoid burnout.

Walkovers might make tennis feel unpredictable, but they’re a built-in feature to keep the sport healthy and moving. Think of them as an emergency exit—hardly ideal, but sometimes absolutely necessary to keep players safe and tournaments fair. The next time you see a big name “win” without breaking a sweat, you’ll know exactly what went down—and just how big a role this quirky term plays in the game.