🔗 Share this article

Amateur players will have the possibility to claim A$1m when they take on tennis' top professionals - headed by leading player Carlos Alcaraz - in a single-point showdown before January's Australian Open

Event planners of the Melbourne major have revealed the Million Dollar One Point Slam, which will pair a dozen non-professionals against 22 professionals in a knockout tournament at the tournament grounds

How the Competition Operates

Participants must play 'the classic hand game' to establish who takes the serve or return position, and whoever wins the point will progress to the subsequent phase

The victor of the event will receive £490,000

For comparison, players who made it to the penultimate round of the main draw competitions in the previous year's tournament won over a million Australian dollars

Earlier Related Competitions

The American Grand Slam organized a restructured, independent mixed doubles tournament in August which prompted top singles players to compete, with the victors receiving $1m

The year's first major held its first-ever quick-fire event in the current season, but the total purse was a smaller amount and it had limited exposure

One top competitor was the sole elite competitor involved, and his run finished when he put the one and only serve granted failing to clear the net in his penultimate round

Tournament Information

Officials have not said exactly how the event will work, but it is expected to follow a similar format to the previous version

The professionals will be allowed to make one service and the everyday players on two occasions - as is the standard practice in traditional tennis

While it is unclear how the bracket will work, there will be five knockout rounds and the venue will be the primary court rather than the secondary venue

The final stages will take place in a night session instead of 1pm local time

Entry Requirements

Local players - or foreign participants who have enrolled with the national federation - can participate in 'quick-match event' competitions at their community centers

The champions of the local competitions will then go into a random pairing, with a single non-professional from every geographic division picked to participate in the 'grand finale' in a evening match on Wednesday, 14 January

There will also be a entry tournament in December which amateurs, aspiring competitors, famous personalities and athletic celebrities can participate in

It commences on early January and the two winners will qualify for Wednesday's 'final showdown' with the additional everyday players and top-ranked athletes

"Regardless of your skill level, the final champion will receive the award. Applications will open soon at venues across the country"

Tournament officials mentioned there were "additional stars to be unveiled imminently", while the official website said "famous personalities" would be involved