tennis glossary
What is a Retirement in Tennis?
A retirement happens when a player withdraws from a match they've already started — usually due to injury. The opponent wins by retirement and advances. Different from a walkover, which happens before the match starts.
Example in a match
Your opponent rolls an ankle in the second set. They retire from the match. You win by retirement and move to the next round.
Tennis scoring with Volley
Volley scores tennis with all the standard rules built in. Pick the sport at match setup, name your sides, and tap to score. Volley applies the rules from there — including the ones that involve "Retirement".
Free on iOS and Android. Multi-sport scoring across 9 sports with proper sport-specific scoring engines, ELO rating tracking, and tournament running.
Frequently asked questions
What is a retirement in tennis?
A retirement happens when a player withdraws from a match they've already started — usually due to injury. The opponent wins by retirement and advances. Different from a walkover, which happens before the match starts.
Does Volley handle retirement automatically?
Yes. Volley's tennis scoring engine handles every standard rule including retirement. You don't have to track it manually — pick the sport at match setup and Volley applies the rules.
Where can I learn more tennis terms?
The full Tennis glossary is at /tennis-terms-glossary, with 20 of the most common terms explained.