Pristine grass courts and trademark white kit — Wimbledon starts a week early for 256 players battling it out in the qualifying tournament in southwest London.

The men's event, including a clutch of veterans and young hopefuls, got under way in breezy, sunny conditions in Roehampton on Monday.

A total of 128 players are chasing 16 slots in the main draw at the All England Club, hoping to join 104 men who have qualified via their ranking, and eight wild cards.

The women's qualifying competition, structured the same way, starts on Tuesday, featuring former Wimbledon finalist Vera Zvonareva as one of the hopefuls.

'There is not much difference between a guy who is ranked 60 and someone who is ranked 150 — the consistency is the difference but the level is quite similar.'

To secure a place at Wimbledon, which starts next week, players must win all three of their knockout matches at Roehampton.

John McEnroe, who won three Wimbledon singles titles, famously reached the semifinals at the Grand Slam in 1977 as an 18-year-old qualifier.

The qualifiers are played on 18 lush green courts, watched by groups of die-hard fans sitting in the small stands or lounging on grassy banks.

While final preparations take place for Wimbledon at the All England Club, just a few miles across town, Roehampton gives fans a tantalizing taste of what is to come, right down to the purple and white petunias and the muted applause.

In the first round of matches on Monday, Japan's Taro Daniel, seeded fourth, made short work of Argentine veteran Marco Trungelliti, winning his first match in any category of Wimbledon — either qualifying or the main draw — in straight sets.

Daniel has a career-high singles ranking of 64 but can boast wins against Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray.

The 30-year-old believes the level at qualifying tournaments has improved.