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Amateur players are getting an opportunity to claim a seven-figure prize when they face elite players - featuring leading player Carlos Alcaraz - in a one-point battle leading up to the Australian Grand Slam

Organizers of the Melbourne major have announced the $1 Million Single-Point Tournament, which will pit a dozen non-professionals against elite athletes in a elimination competition at the tournament grounds

This Innovative Event Will Work

Players will play 'the decision-making game' to establish who gets to serve or return, and whoever wins the point will move forward to the following stage

The champion of the event will take home £490,000

Contextually, players who reached the semi-finals of the men's or women's singles in the 2025 Australian Open won over a million Australian dollars

Past Similar Events

The New York major hosted a restructured, separate combined gender tournament in late summer which prompted top singles players to participate, with the victors receiving $1m

The Australian Open held its inaugural One Point Slam in the current season, but the prize fund was A$60,000 and it generated little publicity

The Russian player was the single high-ranked athlete involved, and his campaign finished when he sent the one and only serve granted into the net in his quarter-final

Tournament Specifics

Organizers have not detailed exactly how the event will operate, but it is expected to emulate a similar format to the previous version

The professionals will be permitted to have a single serve and the non-professionals twice - as is the standard practice 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 secondary venue

The concluding rounds will take place in a nighttime schedule instead of 1pm local time

Competitor Requirements

Any Australians - or international players who have enrolled with the national federation - can enter 'single-point competition' tournaments at their community centers

The champions of the community events will then go into a selection process, with a single non-professional from every state and territory chosen to take part in the 'final competition' in a night session on the specified date

There will also be a entry tournament in late year which non-professionals, developing professionals, famous personalities and athletic celebrities can participate in

It commences on the starting date and the successful competitors will go into Wednesday's 'grand finale' with the remaining non-professionals and 10 professionals

"Regardless of your skill level, the overall victor will receive the prize. Entries will start imminently at venues throughout the nation"

Competition planners stated there were "additional stars to be unveiled imminently", while the event portal indicated "well-known figures" would be involved