U.S. Open Fan Week turns qualifying into a tournament of its own

Covering Wimbledon this year was special . A dream come true. The history, the class, the unbelievable match.

The  US Open is different. Its bigger, its louder and now its longer.  It no longer waits until the main draw to create a stir.

Fan Week has turned qualifying at Flushing Meadows into an event in its own right, bringing bigger crowds, former stars, ambitious newcomers and, inevitably, a fair amount of chaos.

That isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

Qualifying remains one of the most compelling parts of the tournament because for many players, simply reaching the U.S. Open is a career achievement. There are no guarantees of titles or deep runs. There is only the chance to get through three matches and earn a place in the main draw.

The reward is substantial. A player who wins a qualifying final is guaranteed $140,000, the same amount awarded to a first round loser in the main draw. Even the losing finalists receive $66,000.

The drama can be just as compelling.

This year’s qualifying draw included former U.S. Open champion Bianca Andreescu, former finalist Kei Nishikori, former semi finalist Grigor Dimitrov and Olympic champion Qinwen Zheng.

Zheng collapsed to the court after securing her place in the main draw, recreating the emotional scenes from her Olympic triumph. Rei Sakamoto did the same after beating Nishikori, while Tristan Schoolkate celebrated after surviving Liam Draxl 10 to 7 in a deciding match tiebreak.

Then there was Elvina Kalieva, a 23 year old from nearby Brooklyn who had dreamed of playing at the U.S. Open since childhood. She made it after winning three three set matches.

Those are the stories qualifying was built for.

But Fan Week has become much bigger than tennis.

Crowds were noticeably heavier this year, particularly around the Food Court, Fountain Plaza and sponsor activations. The queues for free yoghurt, comics and deodorant sometimes appeared longer than those waiting to watch matches.

That has changed the character of qualifying. For years, the grounds were a haven for serious tennis followers who wanted to watch high quality matches away from the glare of the main draw. Now the event attracts a broader crowd looking for entertainment, atmosphere and a taste of the U.S. Open experience.

The USTA deserves credit for making qualifying free to the public. In Queens, one of the most diverse parts of New York, it creates an unusually accessible route into one of sport’s biggest events.

There is already talk of whether that should change. With roughly 20,000 people visiting each day during Fan Week, even a modest admission fee could generate significant revenue for the USTA Foundation.

But charging for what has traditionally been free would come with its own price in public goodwill.

There is another reason the crowds have grown. The main draw has become increasingly expensive, with resale prices putting tickets beyond the reach of many fans.

Fan Week offers an alternative. And the audience is changing. The old economic divide between qualifying and the main tournament is harder to spot. Among the tennis enthusiasts are fashion conscious visitors, social media personalities and spectators treating the grounds as much as a place to be seen as a place to watch tennis.

It’s a long way from the qualifying tournament of decades ago.

Back then, the USTA paid little attention to the event. There were no major sponsor activations, limited facilities and, at times, construction work continued around the courts.

Players complained about the noise.

They don't anymore. Music, DJs, crowds and children shouting are now part of the landscape. Even the old complaints about aircraft noise from nearby LaGuardia have faded into the background.

The U.S. Open has always had a certain disorder to it. Fan Week has simply moved the disorder forward. What was once two weeks of tennis is increasingly becoming three.

As an added bonus, South Africa got to celebrate as former World Number 31, Lloyd Harris came through the week, and qualified for the main draw. Could we dream that he goes further.