In tennis, a Lucky Loser is a player who gets a second chance to play in a tournament. They lose in the final round of qualifying matches but still enter the main draw.
This happens when another player withdraws from the tournament at the last minute.
Lucky losers are chosen based on their ranking or by random draw. They fill empty spots in the tournament bracket. Lucky losers rarely win tournaments, but it has happened.
In 2023, Jan-Lennard Struff became the first lucky loser in ATP Masters 1000 history to reach a tournament final at the 2023 Madrid Open.
He lost in the final qualifying round but got into the main draw after a late withdrawal. Struff then made a remarkable run to the final before losing to Carlos Alcaraz.