What is a walkover in tennis? How does it differ from a retirement? All you need to know after Maria Sakkari retiring at US Open 2024

It's simple math in Grand Slam tournaments and most other tennis events, players advance by winning their matches. However, there are also other ways to move through the draw without actually getting out on court.

In tennis, as is in many other sports, a player can voluntarily forfeit a match in two ways: through a walkover or a retirement. These situations can arise from a variety of reasons, including injuries and tight scheduling of matches.

There have been many instances of this, especially this season, due to the extensive scheduling with the addition of the Olympics to the tennis calendar.

The US Open, which started earlier today, has already seen such instances.

So, without further ado, here's a quick overview of what the term 'walkover' means, how it differs from a retirement, and the impact it has already had on the US Open.

What is a walkover and how does it differ from a retirement?

Walkovers and retirements are among the two ways to voluntarily forfeit a match in tennis, as mentioned earlier.

A 'walkover,' in simple terms, can be defined as a pre-match forfeit. The player informs the umpire or tournament organizers of their intention to withdraw before the scheduled encounter. In this case, a 'lucky loser'—another player who lost in the qualifiers—replaces the withdrawing player. Notably, the term walkover originated in horseracing.

A retirement, on the contrary, is an in-game variant. It happens when a player withdraws mid-way through the encounter due to an injury or other issue, making it impossible for them to continue. In this case, the opponent automatically advances to the next round.

This year’s US Open has already seen both scenarios. Finnish tennis player Emil Ruusuvuori retired before his first-round match against Alexander Zverev due to an injury, allowing Maximilian Marterer, a lucky loser, to take his place.

On the other hand, ninth seed Maria Sakkari had to withdraw from her opening match after just one set due to an apparent injury.

Maria Sakkari first big name to fall at US Open 2024

2024 US Open - Day 1 - Source: Getty

Ninth seed Maria Sakkari became the first major player to exit the 2024 US Open on the opening day. She was forced to retire from her first-round match against Yafan Wang after just one set due to an unspecified injury.

Sakkari had called for a medical timeout during the first set, where she was treated for her neck and shoulder. She lost the first set 6-2 before retiring.

This marks Sakkari's fifth first-round loss at a Grand Slam since the 2021 French Open, with her struggles continuing in major tournaments.

Wang will face France's Diane Parry next, who defeated her compatriot Xiyu Wang in her first-round match.