By Randy Walker
@TennisPublisher
Why do I love the U.S. Open qualifying so much?
There are many I know who also share this obsession of the 128-player men’s and 128-women’s tournament-before-the tournament at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center that determines who gets the last 16 slots in the men’s and women’s singles draws respectively.
I, for one, find the struggle to make it onto the big stage of professional tennis at the Grand Slam level sometimes more fascinating than the main draw itself. As I tweeted out recently in the context of the U.S. Open qualifying “the ascent to the plateau is many times more intriguing than the competition once you get there.” For the real die-hard sports fan, watching player move from the lower level to “The show” of the big leagues and sharing and witnessing that moment a player finally breaks through is exhilarating. This is part of the reason why I especially love tennis at the Futures and Challenger level, where you can see players before they are stars and follow them as they make their assault up to the higher rungs of the sport.
Watching a player like J.C. Aragone go from playing No. 5 at the University of Virginia win three rounds in the U.S. Open qualifying to reach the main draw in 2017 was a fascinating journey, as I documented here: http://www.worldtennismagazine.com/archives/14759
You really are a coinnessuer of fine tennis to enjoy U.S. Open qualifying and watching names from college tennis, like Sam Riffice from the University of Florida or Alex Rybakov of TCU or junior players from the United States like Reese Brantmeier or Govind Nanda. There are also players to appreciate like former standout players like Nico Mahut of France or Ernests Gulbis of Latvia, trying for some final moments of glory in their careers. Players are scratching and clawing for their chance to have their breakthrough moment in tennis, and getting into the main draw of the U.S. Open could be their chance, or, perhaps, the only big moment of glory they may achieve in their careers. U.S. Open qualifying is “the most intense tennis that nobody is watching” is the take that “The Last Word on Tennis” blog puts forth here: https://lastwordontennis.com/2019/08/18/us-open-qualifying-most-intense-tennis-nobody-watching/ If you look at the U.S. Open Qualifying Tournament as a separate tournament, it is the fifth biggest tennis tournament in the United States featuring $3 million in prize money, surpassed only by the U.S. Open itself, Indian Wells, Miami and Cincinnati. First round losers go home with $11,000.
Part of the allure of the event is that it is the start of the immediate anticipation of the real show starting the next week. You are on the grounds and the excitement is building for the main event. Retail shops and restaurants are opening up, top players are practicing and you get to explore the grounds with all the new additions and features throughout the facility.
For the USTA, this prelude to the big show has been branded “Fan Week” as what could be more fan friendly than the week being entirely free. In recent years, the USTA has added legends matches to the official schedule and also has promoted practice sessions with star players. This year, bands and DJs will entertain fans in the South Plaza. Marketwatch, back in 2017, said of U.S. Open qualifying that “the best time to go to the U.S. Open is before the tournament event starts” here: https://www.marketwatch.com/story/the-best-time-to-go-to-the-us-open-is-before-the-tournament-even-starts-2016-08-26
This week is a great promotional platform for tennis and the USTA. Anything marked “free” is sure to gain the attention of people, especially people who not really that into tennis – and that’s the hook to try to get them more interested in tennis – in playing tennis, watching tennis on TV or buying tickets for the upcoming main draw portion of the event or other tennis events around the country. You can bring youngsters there and test their enthusiasm for watching the sport, without having to risk paying extra cash on the main event. The qualifying tournament and “Fan Week” has been a big success as daily attendance has far exceeded attendance in previous years at the ATP and WTA events in Winston-Salem, NC and New Haven, CT, respectively.
So, if you are in the New York City area, come on over and have a taste of “Fan Week” during the U.S. Open Qualifying. If you miss them gem of an experience this year, plan your U.S. Open trip around a few days of this treasured part of the tournament in future years.
