What is a walkover in tennis?

The 2023 edition of the US Open is once again delivering its trademark excitement at the Billie Jean King National Center. In a notable development, defending champion Carlos Alcaraz has secured a rendezvous with Britain’s Dan Evans at this prestigious tennis event. Simultaneously, Ons Jabeur and Jessica Pegula have made their way forward in the New York tournament, adding to the evening’s fervor.

Now, let’s clarify the concept of a “walkover” in tennis.

Related: What tennis racket does Carlos Alcaraz use? How much does it cost?

What’s a walkover in tennis?

Essentially, a walkover transpires when a player effortlessly advances to the next round without having to compete in their scheduled match. This occurs when their opponent is either incapacitated due to injury illness, or has been disqualified from the tournament for some reason.

It’s essential to differentiate a walkover from a retirement. A retirement happens when a player begins their match but is compelled to withdraw midway due to injury or illness, thereby granting victory to their opponent. Interestingly, some live score applications, like Google’s Wimbledon widget, occasionally classify retirements as walkovers. For instance, in Daniil Medvedev’s match against Jiri Lehecka during the Wimbledon fourth round, Lehecka retired from the contest after the first two sets, yet Google displays the outcome as a ‘walkover.’

A walkover can only occur before the commencement of the match, as exemplified when Rafael Nadal withdrew from his Wimbledon semi-final against Nick Kyrgios due to injury. Consequently, this granted Kyrgios a ‘walkover’ to the Wimbledon final, where Novak Djokovic ultimately defeated him in four hard-fought sets.

Which are some of the more noteworthy examples of walkovers in tennis?

In the 2021 Roland Garros, Roger Federer’s injury led to his withdrawal from the round-of-16 match against Matteo Berrettini, granting the Italian an uncontested entry into the quarterfinals.

Petra Kvitova, during the 2021 Roland Garros, was compelled to concede a walkover to Elena Vesnina in the second round after sustaining a leg injury following her first-round victory.

Another incident at the 2021 Roland Garros involved Naomi Osaka, who offered a second-round walkover to Ana Bogdan, citing concerns about her mental health.

During the 2020 Western & Southern Open final, Osaka gave Victoria Azarenka a walkover, handing her the title without needing to play. Osaka attributed her decision to fatigue and an inability to recover adequately from her previous match.