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Amateur players are getting the possibility to win A$1m when they compete against world-class athletes - including top-ranked Carlos Alcaraz - in a one-point battle leading up to the Australian Grand Slam

Tournament officials of the Australian Open have announced the Million Dollar One Point Slam, which will pair a dozen non-professionals against 22 professionals in a single-elimination format at the tournament grounds

This Innovative Competition Operates

Participants must play 'rock, paper, scissors' to determine who gets to serve or return, and whoever wins the point will advance to the following stage

The winner of the event will take home a significant cash prize

Contextually, players who made it to the penultimate round of the main draw competitions in the 2025 Australian Open won over a million Australian dollars

Past Related Competitions

The American Grand Slam organized a revamped, separate combined gender tournament in August which encouraged top singles players to participate, with the victors receiving one million US dollars

The Australian Open held its inaugural single-point competition in the current season, but the total purse was a smaller amount and it had limited exposure

Andrey Rublev was the sole elite competitor competing, and his run concluded when he put the sole serving chance allowed into the mesh in his quarter-final

Tournament Specifics

Officials have not detailed exactly how the event will operate, but it is anticipated to emulate a akin setup to the previous version

The top competitors will be allowed to serve once and the non-professionals twice - as is the usual procedure in traditional tennis

While it is not certain how the bracket will work, there will be five knockout rounds and the site will be the main stadium rather than the smaller Kia Arena

The concluding rounds will be held in a night session instead of midday timing

Competitor Requirements

Any Australians - or international players who have enrolled with Tennis Australia - can participate in 'single-point competition' tournaments at their neighborhood facilities

The victors of the community events will then go into a random pairing, with a single non-professional from every state and territory chosen to compete in the 'grand finale' in a evening match on Wednesday, 14 January

There will also be a qualifying draw in December which everyday players, developing professionals, famous personalities and athletic celebrities can participate in

It commences on the starting date and the successful competitors will go into the following day's 'final showdown' with the other eight amateurs and top-ranked athletes

"Regardless of your skill level, the final champion will receive the prize. Registrations will begin shortly at clubs nationwide"

Competition planners said there were "additional stars to be unveiled imminently", while the event portal indicated "celebrities" would be involved