🔗 Share this article

Everyday tennis enthusiasts are getting the possibility to earn one million Australian dollars when they face world-class athletes - headed by leading player Carlos Alcaraz - in a winner-takes-all point before the Australian Grand Slam

Organizers of the year's first Grand Slam have revealed the $1 Million Single-Point Tournament, which will pair a dozen non-professionals against elite athletes in a single-elimination format at Melbourne Park

The Unique Competition Operates

Participants must play 'the classic hand game' to determine who serves or receives, and the player who wins the point will move forward to the subsequent phase

The victor of the event will earn a significant cash prize

For comparison, players who advanced to the final four of the primary tournaments in the last edition won A$1.1m

Earlier Similar Events

The New York major staged a restructured, separate combined gender tournament in August which encouraged top singles players to participate, with the victors receiving one million US dollars

The Melbourne tournament held its debut single-point competition 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 progress came to an end when he sent the sole serving chance granted failing to clear the net in his quarter-final

Tournament Information

Officials have not specified precisely how the event will function, but it is anticipated to emulate a comparable structure to this year's edition

The professionals will be permitted to make one service and the non-professionals twice - as is the norm in conventional tennis

While it is unclear how the pairings will work, there will be multiple elimination stages and the location will be the Rod Laver Arena rather than the secondary venue

The concluding rounds will be held in a nighttime schedule instead of 1pm local time

Competitor Requirements

Domestic competitors - or overseas competitors who have registered with Tennis Australia - can compete in 'single-point competition' competitions at their neighborhood facilities

The champions of the grassroots tournaments will then go into a selection process, with a single non-professional from every region and area selected to participate in the 'championship round' in a evening match on mid-January

There will also be a entry tournament in the final month which amateurs, aspiring competitors, well-known figures and sport stars can participate in

It starts on the starting date and the successful competitors will go into the following day's 'championship match' with the remaining non-professionals and top-ranked athletes

"Whether you're an amateur or a pro, the final champion will walk away with the prize. Entries will begin shortly at facilities throughout the nation"

Competition planners mentioned there were "additional stars to be revealed shortly", while the event portal indicated "well-known figures" would be taking part