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Recreational competitors are getting the possibility to earn A$1m when they face elite players - including top-ranked Carlos Alcaraz - in a single-point showdown prior to the year's first major

Tournament officials of the Australian Open have revealed the Million Dollar One Point Slam, which will pit a dozen non-professionals against top-ranked players in a knockout tournament at Melbourne Park

This Innovative Competition Operates

Competitors are set to play 'the classic hand game' to decide who gets to serve or return, and the competitor securing the point will progress to the following stage

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

By comparison, players who advanced to the penultimate round of the men's or women's singles in the 2025 Australian Open won over a million Australian dollars

Previous Similar Events

The American Grand Slam staged a redesigned, separate mixed doubles tournament in late summer which encouraged top singles players to participate, with the winners receiving $1m

The year's first major held its debut One Point Slam in the current season, but the prize fund was sixty thousand Australian dollars and it had limited exposure

The Russian player was the sole elite competitor competing, and his run concluded when he directed the one and only serve permitted into the mesh in his quarter-final

Event Information

Organizers have not said exactly how the event will function, but it is projected to follow a comparable structure to the previous version

The top competitors will be allowed to make one service and the non-professionals on two occasions - as is the norm in conventional tennis

While it is uncertain how the bracket will work, there will be multiple elimination stages and the site will be the main stadium rather than the alternative court

The last matches will be held in a nighttime schedule instead of early afternoon

Competitor Information

Domestic competitors - or international players who have registered with the national federation - can compete in 'single-point competition' events at their community centers

The winners of the local competitions will then go into a draw, with one amateur player from every geographic division chosen to compete in the 'championship round' in a night session on Wednesday, 14 January

There will also be a preliminary competition in December which non-professionals, lower ranked pros, celebrities and sports personalities can enter

It begins on Monday, 12 January and the two winners will advance to the midweek 'final showdown' with the additional everyday players and elite competitors

"No matter your experience, the final champion will receive the prize. Applications will begin shortly at clubs across the country"

Tournament officials stated there were "further celebrities to be unveiled imminently", while the official website said "famous personalities" would be taking part