How Many Rounds in US Open Tennis? 2026 Format Explained
The US Open main draw has seven rounds. If you are asking how many rounds in US Open tennis a player must win to lift the trophy, the answer is seven singles matches, from the first round through to the final. Qualifiers face three extra rounds before that, so their route can run to ten matches.
The US Open is the fourth and final Grand Slam of the season. The 2026 edition runs from Sunday, August 23 to Sunday, September 13 at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York. The singles main draw starts on Sunday, August 30.
How Many Rounds in US Open Tennis: Quick Answer
- Singles main draw: 7 rounds (128 players)
- Singles qualifying: 3 rounds (128 players per gender)
- Men’s and women’s doubles: 6 rounds (64 teams)
- Mixed Doubles Championship: 4 rounds (16 teams)
Every event is a single elimination knockout. Lose once and you are out. The field halves each round until two players or two teams remain.
The Seven Main Draw Rounds With 2026 Dates
| Round | Players | Matches | 2026 dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| First round | 128 | 64 | Aug 30 to Sep 1 |
| Second round | 64 | 32 | Sep 2 to Sep 3 |
| Third round | 32 | 16 | Sep 4 to Sep 5 |
| Round of 16 | 16 | 8 | Sep 6 to Sep 7 |
| Quarterfinals | 8 | 4 | Sep 8 to Sep 9 |
| Semifinals | 4 | 2 | Women Sep 10, Men Sep 11 |
| Final | 2 | 1 | Women Sep 12, Men Sep 13 |
The round of 16 is also called the fourth round. Both names describe the same stage. The early rounds run across the outside courts and the show courts, which is where seeds are most often ambushed by qualifiers and wildcards.
From the round of 16 onward, play moves to Arthur Ashe Stadium, Louis Armstrong Stadium and Grandstand. Track it on our US Open draw page or print a copy of the free bracket.
How Many Rounds in US Open Tennis Qualifying?
Qualifying has three rounds. In 2026 it runs Monday, August 24 to Thursday, August 27 on the field courts, and it is free to attend with a Fan Access Pass.
- 128 men and 128 women enter, traditionally ranked between No. 100 and No. 250.
- Three wins earns a main draw place.
- 16 men and 16 women qualify, filling 32 of the 256 main draw spots.
- A qualifier who then wins the title plays 10 matches over roughly three weeks.
It has been done once. Emma Raducanu came through qualifying in 2021 and won the women’s title without dropping a set in any of her 10 matches, the first and still the only qualifier to win a Grand Slam singles title in the Open Era.
Rounds in Doubles, Mixed Doubles, Juniors and Wheelchair
| Event | Draw size | Rounds | 2026 window |
|---|---|---|---|
| Men’s and women’s singles | 128 players | 7 | Aug 30 to Sep 13 |
| Men’s and women’s doubles | 64 teams | 6 | Sep 3 to Sep 12 |
| Mixed Doubles Championship | 16 teams | 4 | Aug 25 to Aug 26 |
| Singles qualifying | 128 players | 3 | Aug 24 to Aug 27 |
| Junior singles | 64 players | 6 | From Sep 6 |
| Junior doubles | 32 teams | 5 | From Sep 6 |
| Wheelchair singles | 16 players | 4 | Sep 9 to Sep 12 |
| Wheelchair doubles | 8 teams | 3 | Sep 8 to Sep 11 |
Doubles starts in the first week and finishes ahead of the singles finals. In 2026 the women’s doubles final is on Friday, September 11 and the men’s doubles final on Saturday, September 12.
The US Open Mixed Doubles Championship is the shortest event of the fortnight. Sixteen teams play four rounds across two days of Fan Week: first round and quarterfinals on Tuesday, August 25, then semifinals and the final on Wednesday, August 26.
New for 2026, an eight team qualifying draw on Monday, August 24 sends two more teams into the main draw. Matches use short sets to four games with no ad scoring and a 10 point tiebreak at 4 all. Errani and Vavassori defend the title.
Match Format and Scoring in Each Round
- Men’s singles: best of five sets in all seven rounds, including the first.
- Women’s singles: best of three sets in all seven rounds.
- Deciding set: a 10 point tiebreak at six games all. The Grand Slam Board unified this rule in March 2022 across qualifying, singles, doubles, wheelchair and junior singles.
- Surface: Laykold acrylic hard court, which replaced DecoTurf in 2020 after 42 years.
- Seeds: 32 players are seeded in each singles draw, so the top two seeds cannot meet before the final.
- Rain: Arthur Ashe Stadium and Louis Armstrong Stadium both have retractable roofs. Outside court matches are suspended and rescheduled.
Because the men play the longer format, a five set quarterfinal can pass four hours while a women’s quarterfinal often ends inside 90 minutes. Session start times are on our US Open schedule page.
What Each Round Pays in 2026
On August 20, 2026 the USTA confirmed a record purse of $108 million, up 20 percent on the $90 million paid in 2025 and 44 percent higher than 2024. It is the largest prize pool in Grand Slam history.
| Stage reached | Singles prize money |
|---|---|
| First round | $140,000 |
| Quarterfinals | $780,000 |
| Semifinals | $1,450,000 |
| Runner up | $2,800,000 |
| Champion | $5,500,000 |
Losing in round one now pays more than most tour level titles. The mixed doubles winners take $1 million, a prize introduced in 2025. Full figures sit on our US Open prize money page.
Key Dates for the 2026 US Open
- Fan Week: Sunday, August 23 to Saturday, August 29 (seven free days)
- Qualifying: Monday, August 24 to Thursday, August 27
- Main draw ceremony: Thursday, August 27
- First round begins: Sunday, August 30
- Open for All Day: Thursday, September 10 (eighth free day)
- Women’s final: Saturday, September 12
- Men’s final: Sunday, September 13
At 22 days this is the longest US Open ever staged, with more competition days than any edition in the tournament’s near 150 year history. Carlos Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka begin their title defences in round one.
Ticket options for each round are on our tickets page, and the official schedule is at usopen.org.
US Open Tennis Rounds FAQ
How many rounds in US Open tennis must a player win to take the title?
Seven. The singles main draw starts with 128 players, so a champion wins seven matches: first round, second round, third round, round of 16, quarterfinal, semifinal and final.
How many rounds are there in US Open qualifying?
Three. A total of 128 men and 128 women play qualifying from August 24 to 27, 2026, and 16 of each earn a main draw place.
Is the round of 16 the same as the fourth round?
Yes. The fourth round and the round of 16 are two names for the same stage, played on September 6 and 7 in 2026.
How many rounds are in the US Open doubles draw?
Six. The men’s and women’s doubles draws hold 64 teams each. Mixed doubles is a separate 16 team event of four rounds played during Fan Week.
How many sets are played in each round?
Men play best of five sets in all seven rounds, including the first. Women play best of three sets in all seven rounds, and doubles is best of three.
Is there a final set tiebreak at the US Open?
Yes. If the deciding set reaches six games all, a 10 point tiebreak settles the match. The four Grand Slams unified this rule in March 2022.
Has a qualifier ever won the US Open singles title?
Yes, once. Emma Raducanu won all three qualifying rounds and all seven main draw rounds in 2021 without losing a set, the only qualifier to win a Grand Slam singles title in the Open Era.
How long does the US Open last in 2026?
Twenty two days, the longest edition on record. Fan Week opens on August 23, the main draw begins August 30, and the men’s final is on September 13.
So, how many rounds in US Open tennis? Seven in the singles main draw, three more in qualifying, six in doubles and four in the mixed doubles event.
Keep the round by round dates above beside you from August 30 and follow the live scores as a 128 player field narrows to one champion on September 13.
