On this very website, you can read articles about what happens to your bets in the event that a player retires from a match (i.e. they suffer an injury after it has started) and if they are disqualified for a series of code violations.
But it’s also worth taking a deep dive into what happens when a player withdraws from a match or even a whole tournament without stepping onto the court – known as a ‘walkover’ for their scheduled opponent.
What happens to your bets if you are on the right – or wrong – side of a tennis walkover?
What is a Walkover in Tennis?
There can be a number of reasons why a player would withdraw from a match or tournament without hitting a single ball – handing their opponent a walkover.
Usually, it’s injury related. A player may have picked up an ailment in their previous game or in practice, which ultimately means they are unable to compete in their next match. They will inform the tournament referee of their predicament, who will then award their opponent a walkover victory.
Because tennis tournaments take place over such a short period of time, it can be very difficult for players to recover from injuries suitably for their next match – even in the case of Grand Slam semi-finals, as Rafa Nadal found out to his cost at Wimbledon in 2022.
Sometimes, life events conspire to force a player to withdraw from a tournament. Andy Murray was poised to quit the 2016 Australian Open should his wife go into labour, and others have opted not to play in order to be at the birth of their child.
Scheduling issues can also play a part. A player can reach a final on a Sunday and then be expected to be in a different country – or even continent – for their next tournament within the next 24 hours. Unsurprisingly, in these cases, many opt simply to withdraw from the subsequent event.
There can even be scheduling woes within a tournament. When Jannik Sinner was forced to play until 02:30 in the second round of the Paris Masters in 2023….before returning to take on Alex de Minaur in the third round at 17:00 that same day. Unsurprisingly, the Italian withdrew to hand the Australian a walkover win.
Do Walkovers Count as Wins in Tennis?
There’s a couple of different scenarios that can play out when a player withdraws from a tournament.
If they withdraw ahead of the first round, the tournament organisers will call up a lucky loser – that may sound like a complete contradiction, but it refers to a player that has lost in qualifying but is then called into the main draw courtesy of the withdrawal. They will take the place of the WD and take on their scheduled opponent instead.
If the tournament is up and running and then the player withdraws, it’s likely that their scheduled opponent will simply be given a straight walkover win – they will then progress into the next round of the competition.
So do walkovers count as wins in tennis? You bet they do for the happy recipient… but what does it all mean for your bets?
What Happens to a Bet When There’s a Walkover?
While a tennis player is happy enough to float through to the next round without even breaking a sweat, the news for your bet isn’t so good.
Generally speaking, a bookmaker’s rules will stipulate that your bet will be a ‘push’ if a player receives a walkover win – that is, your stake will be refunded as a result of your wager being voided.
This occurs when betting on individual matches – your bet will be voided if no point is played and the game doesn’t go ahead – as well as your outright wagers.
When you bet on a player to win a tournament and they withdraw before the off, you should receive a full refund with your wager voided.
However, if your selection withdraws DURING the event, it is at the discretion of the individual bookmaker as to whether you secure a push refund or not – they may simply settle your bet as a loss.
What Happens to Bets If There’s a Weather Delay?
Now here’s a very specific situation that it’s worth knowing about.
Imagine that a match has got underway on one of the outside courts at Wimbledon – you know, the ones without protective roofs, when an almighty rain shower hits.
The players are sent indoors and wait to be called back out onto the court – sometimes it might not be until the next day when they finally get to complete their match.
So what happens if one of the players withdraws overnight, handing a walkover victory to their opponent?
When a tennis match is hit with a weather delay, it’s worth noting that all bets stand – no matter when the contest is finally finished. So if a player withdraws overnight, it is classed as a retirement rather than a walkover; meaning that your bet will win or lose (depending on whether you have wagered on, or against, the player that withdraws).