How Many Rounds in US Open Tennis? Full Breakdown

By Sarah Miller · June 6, 2037

The US Open Tennis Championship features best-of-three sets for women's matches and best-of-five sets for men's matches, with no fixed number of rounds—instead, the tournament structure determines progression through seven total rounds per singles event.

Tournament Structure Overview

The US Open is one of the four Grand Slam tennis tournaments and follows a single-elimination format. Both the men's and women's singles events begin with 128 players, who compete across seven rounds to determine the champion.

How the Rounds Work

Round of 128: First round – all 128 players compete.
Round of 64: Second round – 64 players remain.
Round of 32: Third round – 32 players continue.
Round of 16: Fourth round (also known as Round of 16).
Quarterfinals: Top 8 players advance.
Semifinals: Final 4 players compete for a spot in the championship.
Final: The last match to crown the US Open champion.

Men's vs Women's Format Differences

While both men's and women's singles follow the same seven-round structure, the key difference lies in the match length:

Men's Singles: Best-of-five sets. A player must win three sets to win the match.
Women's Singles: Best-of-three sets. A player must win two sets to win the match.

This impacts match duration and physical demands but does not change the number of rounds in the tournament.

Doubles and Junior Events

Doubles and junior competitions also follow a seven-round structure in most cases, though some doubles draws may be smaller (e.g., 64 teams), resulting in six rounds. Mixed doubles typically have a shorter draw.

Key Event Formats

Mixed Doubles: Usually 32 teams, leading to five rounds.
Junior Singles: Follows the same knockout style with seven rounds for a full draw.
Qualifying Rounds: Held before the main draw; consists of three rounds to determine 16 qualifiers.

Event	Total Players/Teams	Number of Rounds	Match Format
Men's Singles	128	7	Best-of-5 sets
Women's Singles	128	7	Best-of-3 sets
Men's Doubles	64	6	Best-of-3 sets (+10-point tiebreak in 3rd)
Women's Doubles	64	6	Best-of-3 sets (+10-point tiebreak in 3rd)
Mixed Doubles	32	5	Best-of-3 sets (+10-point match tiebreak)
Junior Boys' Singles	64	6	Best-of-3 sets

Table data source:1, 2

The table highlights structural variations across US Open events. Singles main draws consistently feature seven rounds due to 128-player fields, while doubles and junior events have fewer rounds due to smaller participant numbers. The shift to 10-point match tiebreaks in final sets across doubles events since 2022 has reduced match durations without altering the elimination structure.

Frequently Asked Questions About US Open Tennis Rounds

How many rounds are in the US Open men's singles?

The US Open men's singles tournament consists of seven rounds: Round 1 through Round 7, culminating in the final. All matches are best-of-five sets.

How many rounds are in the US Open women's singles?

Like the men's event, the women's singles has seven rounds. Matches are best-of-three sets, but the number of elimination stages remains the same.

What are the qualifying rounds at the US Open?

The US Open qualifying tournament takes place one week before the main draw and features 128 players competing in three rounds. The 16 winners earn a spot in the main singles draw.

Do all US Open matches have the same number of sets?

No. Men's singles and doubles use best-of-five and best-of-three sets respectively, while women's and junior events use best-of-three. Since 2022, a 10-point tiebreak is played in lieu of a deciding set in doubles events.

How long does the US Open tournament last?

The US Open lasts for 14 consecutive days, starting on the last Monday of August and ending with the men's final on the second Sunday of September. The first eight days include early-round matches, followed by quarterfinals, semifinals, and finals.