In this guide
Singles uses set-based eliminationMixed doubles shortened the early setsThe final has a different game targetPreserve the draw in a programme titleThe US Open is the hard-court tennis Grand Slam in New York. Its men’s and women’s singles, doubles and mixed doubles are separate competitions within the event. The same player can appear in more than one draw without the results being interchangeable.
The 2026 mixed doubles championship used a special scoring format. A viewer moving from a singles match into mixed doubles therefore needed to change more than the number of players on court.
Singles uses set-based elimination
Men’s singles is best of five sets; women’s singles is best of three. The deciding-set convention at six games all uses a ten-point tie-break requiring a two-point margin. That should not be confused with the match tie-break used to replace a deciding set in some doubles formats.
Mixed doubles shortened the early sets
From qualifying through the 2026 mixed semi-finals, sets were played to four games, with a tie-break at four-all. No-ad scoring applied, and a ten-point match tie-break replaced a third set. The final used sets to six games with tie-breaks at six-all, while retaining no-ad and the deciding match tie-break.
The final has a different game target
A 4–3 set in an early mixed round cannot be interpreted using the final’s six-game target. The round is part of the scoring context as well as the draw context.
| 2026 mixed stage | Set target | Deciding format |
|---|---|---|
| Qualifying to semi-finals | 4 games; tie-break at 4–4 | 10-point match tie-break |
| Final | 6 games; tie-break at 6–6 | 10-point match tie-break |
Preserve the draw in a programme title
US Open highlights can combine several disciplines, while a named-match recording belongs to one draw and round. Keep mixed doubles attached to its fixture rather than shortening everything to singles-style match language. The edition is especially important when a competition introduces or revises a special format.