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Amateur players are being offered the possibility to claim A$1m when they compete against world-class athletes - headed by leading player the Spanish champion - in a one-point battle before the Australian Grand Slam

Organizers of the Melbourne major have unveiled the Million Dollar One Point Slam, which will pair everyday competitors against elite athletes in a knockout tournament at the Australian Open venue

How the Tournament Functions

Players will play 'the decision-making game' to determine who serves or receives, and the competitor securing the point will progress to the subsequent phase

The victor of the event will earn £490,000

Contextually, players who made it to the penultimate round of the men's or women's singles in the 2025 Australian Open won A$1.1m

Previous Similar Events

The American Grand Slam staged a redesigned, independent mixed doubles tournament in the eighth month which encouraged top singles players to participate, with the victors receiving $1m

The Australian Open held its first-ever One Point Slam earlier this year, but the total purse was A$60,000 and it generated little publicity

One top competitor was the single high-ranked athlete involved, and his run concluded when he put the one and only serve permitted into the mesh in his last eight match

Competition Specifics

Officials have not said exactly how the event will work, but it is projected to mirror a similar format to this year's edition

The elite players will be permitted to make one service and the amateurs two times - as is the norm in conventional tennis

While it is uncertain how the bracket will work, there will be several competitive phases and the location will be the main stadium rather than the alternative court

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

Competitor Information

Local players - or international players who have enrolled with the national federation - can participate in 'single-point competition' events at their neighborhood facilities

The victors of the grassroots tournaments will then go into a selection process, with a single non-professional from every geographic division chosen to compete in the 'grand finale' in a night session on mid-January

There will also be a qualifying draw in late year which non-professionals, aspiring competitors, famous personalities and sports personalities can enter

It begins on Monday, 12 January and the two winners will go into the midweek 'championship match' with the remaining non-professionals and 10 professionals

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

Event organizers said there were "additional stars to be revealed shortly", while the event portal mentioned "celebrities" would be involved