A “Lucky Loser” in tennis is a player who loses in the qualifiers but advances to the main draw because of another player’s withdrawal.
What Is Lucky Loser For?
The purpose of Lucky Loser is to fill the main draw of the tournament. Tennis tournaments usually consist of a qualifying draw and a main draw. The qualifying draw is for players whose ranking is not high enough to qualify directly for the main draw. The players who win the qualifying draw will get a place in the main draw.
The main draw consists of players with a high ranking who qualify directly for the main draw without having to play in the qualifying tournament.
When the main draw begins, it is important to have an opponent for each player to ensure a fair tournament. This way, all players will play the same number of matches and no player will advance to the next round without playing.
How Is The Lucky Loser Selected?
In ATP and WTA tournaments, the Lucky Loser player is selected according to the current ranking. In other words, the player with the highest ranking who has been knocked out of the tournament will get to return to the tournament.
Lucky Loser In Grand Slam Tournaments
In Grand Slam tournaments, the Lucky Loser player is not selected by ranking but, since 2006, has been chosen by lottery.
