In this guide
Country wins are not setsThe mixed match can also reach one set allA match tie-break replaces the deciding setThe tie result then contributes to a groupRead the graphic heading before the numbersAt the United Cup, 1–1 can describe a tie between countries or the set score inside one tennis match. The numbers look the same but refer to different units.
A country tie contains men’s singles, women’s singles and mixed doubles. Each match has its own scoring structure, and the match results combine into the country-versus-country result. Keeping those levels separate makes a session much easier to follow.
Country wins are not sets
Imagine fictional country Alpine winning the men’s singles and fictional country Coast winning the women’s singles. The tie stands one match each. That 1–1 is a count of completed match wins for the countries.
The mixed doubles can then decide the tie. If Alpine wins it in straight sets, Alpine wins the country tie two matches to one. It would be incorrect to call the country result two sets to one; the sets belong inside the individual matches.
The mixed match can also reach one set all
Now imagine the fictional mixed doubles teams splitting their first two sets. The match itself is 1–1 in sets while the country tie remains 1–1 in matches. Two identical-looking scores can be true at the same moment.
Under the United Cup format, a ten-point match tie-break then decides that mixed doubles match. Its winner adds one match win to the country’s tie total. A single point near the end can therefore have an immediate match consequence and a wider country consequence.
A match tie-break replaces the deciding set
The mixed doubles format uses two tie-break sets and a ten-point match tie-break when needed. The players do not first play a full third set to six games all. The scoring unit changes after the split sets.
Singles, by contrast, is best of three tie-break sets. Applying the mixed replacement format to a singles match would shorten the wrong contest. The match type is part of the scoring context.
The tie result then contributes to a group
The 2026 edition began with countries in groups of three. A completed country tie belongs to that group’s round-robin record. Winning one tie is not automatically the same as winning the group or reaching the final.
The city-specific structure also matters: group winners and a best runner-up from each city advanced to the quarter-finals. A national-team victory therefore sits within another layer of progression beyond the individual tennis matches.
Read the graphic heading before the numbers
Look for country names beside a tie score and player names beside a match score. Then locate the sets and, if relevant, the match tie-break points. A saved programme benefits from the same clarity: name the country tie for a full session, or name the singles or mixed match when the recording covers only that part. This prevents a useful score from being assigned to the wrong contest.