What happens if a tennis player retires mid-match?

On Polymarket's tennis markets, if a match starts and one player retires, the market pays out on the player who advances. Shares in the player who goes through pay $1, and shares in the player who retired pay nothing. If a player pulls out before the match starts (a walkover), or the match is never played, the market resolves 50-50, so every share pays 50¢. These rules are written on each market and can change, so always read them before you trade.

I checked these rules on live ATP and WTA markets in October 2026. Here's what they mean in practice.

Retirement, walkover, default: the words

• Retirement. A player stops during the match, usually because of injury or illness. Their opponent goes through.
• Walkover. A player withdraws before the match starts, so their opponent goes through without hitting a ball.
• Default or disqualification. The officials end the match against a player, for example after repeated code violations. The opponent goes through.
• Suspension. Play stops, usually for rain or bad light, and is meant to carry on later. Nobody has advanced yet.

How Polymarket's tennis markets resolve

In plain words, the rules on Polymarket's ATP and WTA match markets work like this:

The markets name official ATP or WTA Tour information as the main source for the result, with credible reporting as a backup. The phrase that matters is "the player who advances". The market doesn't care how the match ended, only who goes through to the next round.

These rules can change and can differ between markets, so open the Rules section on the market itself before you trade. It takes a minute and it's the only version that counts.

Worked examples

What the price does before a retirement

Retirements rarely come out of nowhere. Usually there are signs: a player clutching a shoulder, slower movement, a medical timeout. The price tends to react before the retirement itself.

Say A is 55¢ in a tight first set and calls the physio for their wrist. The price might drop to 40¢ while they're off court, as people sell in case it's serious. If A comes back and plays well, it can recover. If A retires, A's price goes to nothing and B's goes to $1.

This is one of the riskiest moments to trade. Nobody knows how bad the injury is, and the price can move fast either way. If you hold the injured player, you have to decide quickly: sell at a lower price now, or hold and risk losing everything. If you're unsure, selling part of the position is a sensible middle ground.

The walkover catch with favourites

The 50-50 rule creates a risk that's easy to miss. Buying a heavy favourite before the match feels safe, but if they withdraw before the start, you don't get your money back. You get 50¢ a share, whatever you paid.

Players often withdraw when they're carrying a niggle or have had a long week. Late in a tournament, or straight after a big win, check the news before you buy a favourite at 85¢ or more. The higher the price you pay, the more a walkover hurts.

Rain, bad light and suspended matches

If a match is suspended and finishes later, the market waits and pays out on the winner when it's done. Prices often stay open during the break, so you can still trade, but news is thin and the market can be quiet.

The 14-day limit only matters if no winner is decided in that time. That's rare, but it's why the rule exists. For delays, next-day restarts and injuries in more detail, read rain delays, retirements and injuries.

Bookmakers do it differently

Don't assume a bookmaker's rules match the market's. Each bookmaker has its own rules for retirements. Some void bets when a player retires, and some only settle if a set has been completed. If you compare a bet with a market trade, compare the rules too. For more on how the two differ, see tennis trading vs tennis betting.

How the 77 Tennis demo handles it

On the demo, positions settle from Polymarket's own result, so a retirement settles the same way it does on the real market. A 50-50 result settles the same way too: once Polymarket resolves a walkover, a cancelled match or a match with no winner within 14 days, each of your demo shares pays 50¢, and the trade shows in My trades as settled 50-50.

A quick checklist

• Read the market's rules before you trade, every time.
• Check the news before buying a big favourite, especially late in a tournament.
• Treat a medical timeout as a high-risk moment, not a bargain.
• Remember a walkover pays 50¢, not your money back.

Setting a stop-loss in advance helps with injury scares too, because the decision is made before the panic starts. Take-profit and stop-loss for tennis trading explains how. If you're new, start with the beginner's guide.

FAQ

Does a retirement count as a win for the other player?

On Polymarket's tennis markets, yes. If the match has started and one player retires, the market pays out on the player who advances.

What does resolving 50-50 mean for my shares?

Each share pays 50¢, whichever player you hold. If you paid less than 50¢ you make a profit, and if you paid more you take a loss.

Can I sell during a medical timeout?

Usually, yes, as long as the market is open and there are buyers. Prices can move fast and the spread can widen, so you might get a worse price than you expect.

What if the match is suspended overnight?

The market waits for the match to finish and pays out on the winner. It only resolves 50-50 if no winner is decided within 14 days of the scheduled start.

Are these rules the same on every market?

Not necessarily. They're written on each market and can change, so read them every time. The ones here are what I found on Polymarket's ATP and WTA match markets in October 2026.