🔗 Share this article

Amateur players are being offered the possibility to win one million Australian dollars when they compete against world-class athletes - including leading player Carlos Alcaraz - in a one-point battle leading up to the year's first major

Tournament officials of the Melbourne major have revealed the $1 Million Single-Point Tournament, which will match everyday competitors against 22 professionals in a elimination competition at Melbourne Park

The Unique Event Will Work

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

The winner of the event will earn £490,000

Contextually, players who reached the penultimate round of the men's or women's singles in the last edition won over a million Australian dollars

Earlier Comparable Tournaments

The US Open organized a redesigned, independent mixed doubles tournament in August which motivated top singles players to compete, with the victors receiving a million-dollar prize

The Melbourne tournament held its first-ever One Point Slam earlier this year, but the total purse was A$60,000 and it had limited exposure

One top competitor was the only top-10 player competing, and his run concluded when he put the single service opportunity allowed into the net in his last eight match

Tournament Details

Officials have not said exactly how the event will operate, but it is anticipated to follow a comparable structure to the previous version

The elite players will be permitted to serve once and the non-professionals two times - as is the norm in standard play

While it is not certain how the bracket will work, there will be multiple elimination stages and the site will be the primary court rather than the alternative court

The final stages will take place in a night session instead of early afternoon

Participation Requirements

Domestic competitors - or foreign participants who have signed up with the governing body - can participate in 'quick-match event' competitions at their local tennis clubs

The victors of the local competitions will then go into a draw, with an everyday competitor from every state and territory chosen to compete in the 'championship round' in a nighttime event on Wednesday, 14 January

There will also be a entry tournament in December which everyday players, lower ranked pros, well-known figures and athletic celebrities can participate in

It starts on early January and the pair of champions will advance to Wednesday's 'final showdown' with the other eight amateurs and 10 professionals

"Whether you're an amateur or a pro, the final champion will claim the prize. Applications will start imminently at clubs throughout the nation"

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