In tennis, a Dead Rubber is a match played after the overall winner of a series has already been decided.
It occurs in team competitions like the Davis Cup and Billie Jean King Cup. Dead rubbers don't affect the final outcome of the series. They are often played with a more relaxed atmosphere.
Coaches may agree to play or skip these matches. Dead rubbers are usually shorter, best-of-three sets instead of five.
Lower-ranked players often participate in dead rubbers to gain experience.