Germany's Vanessa Henke (pictured) takes on Virginie Pichet of France in the qualifying tourament.

Die-hard fans know the qualifying round of any Grand Slam event is a great time to see hard-fought matches for free. The 128-draw is filled with the names of top world juniors, rising French stars, and the often more familiar names of players coming back from injury time off or those who just missed the main draw due to a lower ranking.

Argentina's Mariano Zabaleta, Germany's Rainer Schuettler, and the Czech Republic's Bohdan Ulihrach, were among the top names on the men's side. All three have made the fourth round of the main draw in prior years. On the women's side of the draw, which started play on Wednesday, were doubles dynamos Virginia Ruano Pascual of Spain and Paola Suarez of Argentina. Together they won four doubles championships at Roland Garros, but they also fared well in main draw singles. Suarez made the semifinals in 2004 and Ruano Pascual's quarterfinal finish in 1995.

In the final days before the official tournament start, the usually mass of crowds, cigarette smoke and excited chatter was replaced by truck traffic through the main allees, hammers, water hoses and other construction sounds. The trees that overhang all 18 courts outside the main show courts—Philippe Chatrier Stadium, Court Suzanne Lenglen, and Court 1—peaked for the occasion. Even the roses—in yellow, fuschia, white, red and pale orange—bloomed at the right time.

The ball kids were giddy off-court, but attentive spectators in the stands, and consummate professionals on the court, bien sur!

The temperate weather had occasional strong sun and blustery winds, but calmed as the draw drew down. As the weekend approached, main draw players arrived to practice, and the grounds crew and staff finally moved all the crates and supplies off site so exhibitor booths and other details could get final polishing.

While the place was being groomed for Sunday's opening day, players don't have such luxury.

"You come here prepared," coach Chris Zahalka (below, left) said Tuesday while he passed time in the Player's Lounge under Court Suzanne Lenglen. "It's fine-tuning. You get used to the conditions."

Zahalka—a former ATP pro who coaches Germans Vanessa Henke and Angelika Bachmann, among others, from his base in Delray Beach, Fla.—admitted that while qualifying week carries certain pressures, the amount of people who descend on a tournament for the main draw makes logistics the first challenge for players and coaches.

"It's going to make it tough to get a massage, do laundry, practice, get food, and get transportation," he said. That's 256 additional players (including qualifiers) and their entourages, all using the same locker rooms, practice courts, etc.

No. 204-ranked Henke, who had two one-hour practices each day with Zahalka, was in great spirits. "It's great," she said amid the buzz of video games in full use in the Player's Lounge. "We are born on this red clay, so we love it!"

While tour tennis is a career choice for players and coaches, Zahalka sounds like he wouldn't trade it. "Any Grand Slam has a fantastic atmosphere," he said. "(My job is) to develop a program as a coach and have fun doing it. We are here because we love to play tennis, we all have this in common. It's nice."

What would happen if two of his players met each other in the draw?

After a smirk and some contemplation, said Zahalka (left), "It's a no-win situation...I'd probably go have a beer!"

After the big show ends on Sunday, June 10, with the men's champion hoisting the silver cup, Roland Garros will not rest. The grounds crew won't go on vacation. The courts won't sit idle.

One week after France's Grand Slam ends, the country's best 11- to 75-year-olds will play on these very courts for the national championships. Like the world's top players, they'll leave with rust-stained shoes and socks, and the pride of having competed on the most renowned clay courts on the planet.

Photos by L. Horan