🔗 Share this article

Amateur players will have the chance to win one million Australian dollars when they compete against elite players - including world number one Carlos Alcaraz - in a single-point showdown before the Australian Grand Slam

Event planners of the Melbourne major have announced the Seven-Figure Quick-Fire Competition, which will match 10 amateur players against elite athletes in a elimination competition at the Australian Open venue

This Innovative Event Will Work

Players will play 'the classic hand game' to establish who serves or receives, and the player who wins the point will move forward to the following stage

The winner of the event will take home £490,000

Contextually, players who reached the final four of the men's or women's singles in the previous year's tournament won A$1.1m

Past Comparable Tournaments

The New York major organized a restructured, separate mixed doubles tournament in August which motivated top singles players to take part, with the victors receiving a million-dollar prize

The Australian Open held its first-ever single-point competition in the current season, but the cash prize was sixty thousand Australian dollars and it had limited exposure

One top competitor was the single high-ranked athlete participating, and his run came to an end when he sent the one and only serve granted into the net in his penultimate round

Tournament Specifics

Officials have not specified precisely how the event will function, but it is projected to mirror a similar format to this year's edition

The professionals will be granted to serve once and the non-professionals on two occasions - as is the usual procedure in conventional tennis

While it is uncertain how the pairings will work, there will be multiple elimination stages and the venue will be the Rod Laver Arena rather than the alternative court

The concluding rounds will take place in a evening slot instead of 1pm local time

Participation Information

Domestic competitors - or international players who have registered with the governing body - can enter 'One Point Slam' tournaments at their community centers

The winners of the grassroots tournaments will then go into a selection process, with one amateur player from every state and territory picked to compete in the 'final competition' in a night session on Wednesday, 14 January

There will also be a entry tournament in late year which non-professionals, lower ranked pros, well-known figures and sports personalities can compete in

It starts on Monday, 12 January and the pair of champions will go into the midweek 'grand finale' with the additional everyday players and 10 professionals

"No matter your experience, the overall victor will walk away with the prize. Applications will start imminently at venues throughout the nation"

Event organizers mentioned there were "more big names to be revealed shortly", while the official website mentioned "celebrities" would be participating