Mixed doubles is the chaotic sibling of professional tennis. It’s fast. It’s weird. Honestly, it’s probably the most underrated part of the two weeks in Flushing Meadows. While everyone is busy hyper-fixating on the singles draw, the US Open mixed doubles scores are usually where the real drama hides, mostly because you’ve got two people who might have only practiced together for twenty minutes before walking onto Court 17.
It’s a different game.
Men serve at 130 mph at women who have some of the best hands in the world. Women rip returns cross-court that make the guys look like they’re stuck in mud. There’s no deuce—just a "deciding point" that feels like a heart attack every single time. If you’re looking for the current scores, you basically have to navigate the USTA’s slightly clunky interface or wait for the big scoreboard on the side of Arthur Ashe Stadium to flash the results. But if you really want to understand what those numbers mean, you have to look at how these pairs even happen.
The Reality Behind US Open Mixed Doubles Scores This Year
Most people think these teams are carefully curated by coaches over months of training. That’s a myth.
Usually, it's a frantic series of text messages sent the night before the sign-in deadline. You’ll see a specialist like Rajeev Ram or Barbora Krejčíková scanning the locker room like it’s a high school prom. They need a partner. They need someone whose schedule doesn't conflict with their main singles or doubles run. This is why the US Open mixed doubles scores often feature "scratch pairs" that end up going on a tear and winning the whole thing.
Take the 2024 champions, Andrea Vavassori and Sara Errani. They weren't necessarily the favorites going in, but they navigated a draw that saw top seeds falling left and right. Their final victory over Taylor Townsend and Donald Young (in his farewell tournament, no less) was a masterclass in tactical poaching. The scoreline of 7-6(0), 7-5 doesn't tell the whole story. It doesn't show the tension of Young's final professional serve or the way Errani used her lob to neutralize Vavassori’s height.
Scores in this format are volatile. Because of the ten-point match tiebreak played in lieu of a third set, a team can be "better" for 90% of the match and still lose because of two sloppy points at the end. It’s brutal. It’s why you see so many 10-8 or 11-9 scores in the third-set column.
Why the Favorites Often Struggle
You'd think putting two Top 10 singles players together would be a cheat code. It isn't. In fact, it's often a disaster.
💡 You might also like: Is NFL Fantasy Down: Why the App Glitches and How to Fix It
Singles players are used to covering the whole court. They have "court ego." When they play mixed, they often run into their partners or leave the alley wide open because they’re trying to do too much. The teams that dominate the US Open mixed doubles scores are usually the ones featuring at least one doubles specialist. These are the players who understand the "I-formation," who know when to fake a poach, and who don't get offended when their partner tells them to stay out of the way.
Look at Ben Shelton and Taylor Townsend from a couple of years back. The energy was insane. The crowd loved it. But even with Shelton’s massive serve, they had to grind through matches that should have been easier on paper. Why? Because mixed doubles is about geometry, not just power.
The surface in New York makes it even weirder. The Laykold courts at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center play faster than the clay in Paris but offer a higher bounce than the grass at Wimbledon. This favors the "big server/big volleyer" combo. If you see a score where a team won 6-2, 6-2, it usually means one person was absolutely dominant at the net, cutting off every single cross-court ball before it could land.
Navigating the Bracket: What to Watch For
When you're checking the live updates, don't just look at the set scores. Look at the "Games Won on Serve" stat if you can find it. In mixed, the man’s serve is expected to be held. If a team breaks the man's serve, that set is basically over. It’s a massive psychological blow.
- The Momentum Shift: A match tiebreak is a coin flip. If you see a match go to 1-1 in sets, ignore the previous hour of play. The 10-point tiebreak is a totally different sport.
- The "No-Ad" Factor: Since there is no deuce, the receiving team chooses who takes the serve at 40-40. Usually, they’ll match gender (man serves to man, woman to woman), but not always. This single point decides the game. It makes the scores look closer than the match actually was.
- Court Assignments: Mixed doubles matches are often shoved onto the outer courts (5, 7, 11, or 17). These courts are louder. The fans are closer. The atmosphere is rowdy. This usually leads to more "upset" scores because the seeds can’t handle the noise and the wind as well as the grinders do.
The All-Time Greats and Their Impact on the Numbers
You can’t talk about US Open mixed doubles scores without mentioning Margaret Court. She won eight titles here. Eight. That’s a level of dominance we will likely never see again because the modern schedule is too punishing. Today, if a player makes the quarterfinals of the singles, they almost always withdraw from the mixed to save their legs.
This creates a vacuum.
👉 See also: Jeanie Buss Running Point: What Really Happened Behind the Scenes
It opens the door for players like Desirae Krawczyk, who has become a mixed doubles machine in recent years. Her ability to absorb pace and find sharp angles makes her a nightmare for the ATP guys she faces. When you see her name in the draw, you can almost guarantee she’s going deep into the second week.
Then there’s the crowd factor. The New York crowd loves an underdog, especially in the mixed draw. If an American pair is playing on a back court at 8:00 PM, the score will almost certainly swing in their favor regardless of who they’re playing. The "U-S-A" chants in that tight environment are worth at least a break of serve.
Technical Nuances of the Scoring System
Let's get into the weeds for a second. The scoring is weirdly specific.
- Sets 1 and 2 are standard tiebreak sets (first to 7 points by 2).
- If it’s tied at one set apiece, they play a Match Tiebreak.
- The Match Tiebreak is first to 10 points, win by 2.
- There is no coaching allowed in the same way there is in singles, though the rules are softening.
Because of the "No-Ad" scoring, matches are significantly shorter than traditional doubles. A two-set mixed match might only last 65 minutes. This is great for TV, but it’s punishing for players who start slow. There is no time to "find your rhythm." If you start cold, you’re down 4-0 before you’ve even broken a sweat.
How to Effectively Track Results Without the Headache
If you want the most accurate US Open mixed doubles scores, don't just Google it and look at the snippet. The snippets are often lagged.
Go directly to the official US Open website and look for the "Slamtracker." It provides point-by-point data. You can see who is winning the "unforced error" battle, which is huge in mixed. Usually, the team that loses is the one where the male player tries to "overplay" and ends up dumping easy volleys into the net because he's trying to hit them at 100 mph.
🔗 Read more: Cuando empieza el mundial de clubes 2024: Lo que nadie te ha explicado sobre el cambio de fechas
Another tip: follow the specialist journalists on X (formerly Twitter). People like Ben Rothenberg or the accounts dedicated to doubles (like "Doubles Take") often report scores and context long before the official apps update. They’ll tell you if a match is delayed by rain or if someone took a medical timeout—details the raw score won’t show you.
Actionable Insights for the Savvy Fan
If you're following the tournament and want to get the most out of it, here is how you should approach the mixed doubles bracket:
- Look for "Specialist" Pairs: Ignore the singles ranking. Look for players who have high doubles rankings. They know where to stand.
- Check the Weather: High humidity in New York makes the balls heavy. This slows down the big servers and helps the "touch" players who rely on lobs and drop volleys.
- Watch the "Deciding Points": If a team is winning 80% of their deciding points (40-40), they are going to win the match. It shows they have better communication under pressure.
- Follow the Draw Early: The first and second rounds are where the most "fun" pairings exist. By the semifinals, it’s usually just the pros who take it very seriously.
- Identify the "Home" Favorites: Any team with an American (especially a New Yorker) will have a massive advantage on the smaller courts.
The beauty of the US Open mixed doubles scores is the sheer unpredictability. You can have a legend like Leander Paes or Martina Navratilova (back in the day) schooling young athletes half their age simply because they know where the ball is going before it’s even hit. It’s a game of chess played at 100 mph.
Keep an eye on the transition from the second to the third week. That’s when the intensity ramps up. The "fun" pairs are gone, the prize money is on the line, and the scores start getting much tighter. Whether you're tracking a specific player or just looking for some high-stakes tennis, the mixed draw rarely disappoints. It’s the hidden gem of the US Open, and once you start following the scores, you’ll realize why people get hooked on the chaos.