In tennis tournaments, a default is typically an infraction of a rule that causes the officials to disqualify a player. The most common type of default involves poor court behavior. However, a default also can occur for medical reasons. A walkover is when a player withdraws from a tournament before a scheduled match, with a bona fide reason. In this case, the opponent advances in the tournament without playing the match.
Late or No-Show Default
In tennis tournaments, a player must check in for her match within 15 minutes of the scheduled time. Tournament officials typically penalize players who are late or fail to show up. This can lead to a default. If a player checks in five minutes or less from the scheduled match time, she is penalized one game and declared the loser of a coin toss that determines who serves first. If she is late by more than five minutes but by 10 minutes or less, she is penalized two games and loss of the toss. She is penalized three games and loss of the toss if she is late by more than 10 minutes but by 15 minutes or less. A player who does not show up for her match or arrives 15 minutes or more minutes late is defaulted out of the tournament.
Point Penalty Default
The point penalty system penalizes players for code violations --rules and regulations set by tournaments to control unsportsmanlike conduct. For example, if you intentionally break your racket, throw your racket and it hits a person, intentionally hit a ball that is not in play and it hits a person, use profanity or make ethnic remarks, you receive a code violation. Tournament officials typically give you a warning the first time you commit one. If you commit the same violation again, you are penalized one point. You are penalized one game for the next violation, and you will be defaulted out of the tournament if the offense happens again.
Medical Default
If a medical situation arises after a match has started and on-court treatment is not appropriate, the player is defaulted. Examples include the administration of an intravenous infusion, supplemental oxygen or an injection.
Walkover
A walkover is awarded before a match begins. When a player decides not to play because of an injury, illness or personal circumstances, a walkover if given to her opponent who is credited with a win. If the player decides not to play for any other reason, she is defaulted. Not as common, a walkover is awarded when there has been an administrative error. An example of this is a player being given the wrong match time by tournament.
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