Glossary of Tennis Terms - W

W

• walkover ("WO" or "w/o"): Unopposed victory. A walkover is awarded when the opponent fails to start the match for any reason, such as injury.
• wild card ("WC"): Player allowed to play in a tournament, even if his/her rank is not adequate or he/she does not register in time. Typically a few places in the draw are reserved for wild cards, which may be for local players who do not gain direct acceptance or for players who are just outside the ranking required to gain direct acceptance. Wild cards may also be given to players whose ranking has dropped due to a long-term injury.
• winner: Shot that is not reached by the opponent and wins the point; sometimes also a serve that is reached but not returned into the court.
• women's doubles: Match between two pairs of women, with one pair on each side of the net. See also mixed doubles.
• WTA: Women's Tennis Association, the main organizing body of women's professional tennis; governs the WTA Tour with the largest tournaments for women.