No first serve
A walkover in tennis lets a player advance because the scheduled opponent cannot play and the match does not begin. It is different from winning points on court.
The WTA’s 2026 rulebook glossary describes a walkover as a match that did not begin because of illness, injury or certain other reasons preventing the opponent from playing. Tournament procedures matter; the entry in a draw does not by itself explain the medical or disciplinary details.
Walkover or retirement?
The useful first question is: did the match start? A retirement means a player stops because of illness or injury after play has begun. It does not mean the player has ended their career.
Try two imagined situations. Alex is due to face Sam, but Sam is injured and cannot start; Alex advances by walkover. On another day, the match begins and Sam stops injured while trailing 4–2 in the first set; that is a retirement. The six games already played make the difference.
A bye is a different route through the draw
A bye also advances a player without playing a match, but it is a draw arrangement, such as a place allocated to a seed or an unfilled position. It is not the same explanation as a scheduled opponent being unable to start.
Picture a first-round draw slot marked “bye” opposite Alex’s name. There is no scheduled Alex-versus-Sam match to lose through injury. Alex moves into the next round because of that draw slot.
Read the result before the score
A straight-sets result, a retirement and a walkover describe different things. Do not turn an unplayed match into an imagined 6–0, 6–0 victory. If a results service uses an abbreviation, check its key and the competition’s explanation.
When play does take place, points, games and sets help you follow it. Continue through Follow a tennis match, or compare the words used in other games in the sports terms guide.