🔗 Share this article

Everyday tennis enthusiasts are being offered the possibility to earn a seven-figure prize when they compete against tennis' top professionals - featuring leading player Carlos Alcaraz - in a winner-takes-all point leading up to the year's first major

Organizers of the year's first Grand Slam have revealed the $1 Million Single-Point Tournament, which will match 10 amateur players against elite athletes in a elimination competition at Melbourne Park

This Innovative Tournament Functions

Competitors are set to play 'rock, paper, scissors' to determine who serves or receives, and the competitor securing the point will move forward to the subsequent phase

The winner of the event will receive a significant cash prize

By comparison, players who advanced to the final four of the men's or women's singles in the previous year's tournament won over a million Australian dollars

Past Comparable Tournaments

The New York major staged a revamped, independent combined gender tournament in the eighth month which encouraged top singles players to participate, with the winners receiving one million US dollars

The year's first major held its debut quick-fire event earlier this year, but the prize fund was A$60,000 and it generated little publicity

Andrey Rublev was the only top-10 player participating, and his progress concluded when he directed the single service opportunity permitted failing to clear the net in his penultimate round

Event Specifics

Organizers have not specified precisely how the event will function, but it is anticipated to mirror a akin setup to the previous version

The elite players will be allowed to make one service and the amateurs two times - as is the usual procedure in standard play

While it is not certain how the bracket will work, there will be five knockout rounds and the site will be the Rod Laver Arena rather than the alternative court

The concluding rounds will be held in a evening slot instead of early afternoon

Entry Information

Domestic competitors - or overseas competitors who have signed up with the governing body - can enter 'One Point Slam' tournaments at their neighborhood facilities

The winners of the local competitions will then go into a selection process, with one amateur player from every geographic division selected to compete in the 'grand finale' in a evening match on mid-January

There will also be a qualifying draw in late year which amateurs, lower ranked pros, well-known figures and athletic celebrities can enter

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

"Regardless of your skill level, the ultimate winner will claim the reward. Applications will start imminently at venues across the country"

Competition planners stated there were "further celebrities to be announced soon", while the tournament site said "well-known figures" would be involved