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Recreational competitors are being offered the possibility to earn A$1m when they take on elite players - including world number one Carlos Alcaraz - in a single-point showdown prior to the year's first major

Organizers of the Melbourne major have announced the Million Dollar One Point Slam, which will pair a dozen non-professionals against elite athletes in a knockout tournament at the Australian Open venue

How the Competition Operates

Competitors are set to play 'rock, paper, scissors' to establish who gets to serve or return, and the competitor securing the point will advance to the next round

The winner of the event will receive approximately half a million pounds

By comparison, players who advanced to the final four of the primary tournaments in the 2025 Australian Open won over a million Australian dollars

Earlier Similar Events

The US Open organized a revamped, independent combined gender tournament in August which motivated top singles players to participate, with the champions receiving a million-dollar prize

The year's first major held its debut One Point Slam earlier this year, but the total purse was A$60,000 and it had limited exposure

Andrey Rublev was the only top-10 player participating, and his run concluded when he directed the one and only serve allowed into the mesh in his penultimate round

Event Information

Officials have not specified precisely how the event will function, but it is projected to emulate a akin setup to this year's edition

The elite players will be granted to make one service and the amateurs on two occasions - as is the standard practice in conventional tennis

While it is uncertain how the bracket will work, there will be five knockout rounds and the location will be the main stadium rather than the alternative court

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

Competitor Requirements

Local players - or overseas competitors who have enrolled with Tennis Australia - can compete in 'quick-match event' competitions at their community centers

The victors of the grassroots tournaments will then go into a selection process, with one amateur player from every region and area chosen to take part in the 'championship round' in a evening match on the specified date

There will also be a entry tournament in December which non-professionals, aspiring competitors, celebrities and athletic celebrities can participate in

It commences on Monday, 12 January and the pair of champions will go into Wednesday's 'championship match' with the other eight amateurs and elite competitors

"Whether you're an amateur or a pro, the overall victor will claim the reward. Registrations will start imminently at clubs throughout the nation"

Event organizers mentioned there were "more big names to be announced soon", while the official website said "famous personalities" would be participating