Grand slam qualifying used to be an oasis for tennis hipsters but a game of one upmanship between the Australian and US Opens has set the standard for spectacular lead-in weeks

During the early days of the US Open singles main draw last year, the tournament director, Stacey Allaster, was holding court with a small group of journalists in a suite overlooking Arthur Ashe Stadium. Much of the discussion centred on the revamped mixed doubles tournament, which had dominated the tennis discourse for days. With a smile, Allaster explained the amount of work that had gone into the event and cited the final attendance numbers for the week it was held. The US Open, she asserted, is now a three-week event.

For many years, the traditional grand slam fortnight was preceded by a nondescript week of preparation. While lower-ranked players quietly worked through the qualifying draw in front of vacant stands, the top players finished their preparation to minimal fanfare. Access to the tournament grounds at the Australian Open, French Open and US Open were free for qualifying. Still, few people came. To most hardcore fans, grand slam qualifying was an oasis for tennis hipsters, the sport’s best-kept secret.