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Recreational competitors are getting the possibility to earn A$1m when they compete against elite players - headed by leading player Carlos Alcaraz - in a one-point battle prior to January's Australian Open

Tournament officials of the Melbourne major have announced the Million Dollar One Point Slam, which will pair 10 amateur players against top-ranked players in a elimination competition at Melbourne Park

How the Event Will Work

Players will play 'the classic hand game' to establish who serves or receives, and the competitor securing the point will advance to the subsequent phase

The winner of the event will take home approximately half a million pounds

For comparison, players who advanced to the final four of the primary tournaments in the 2025 Australian Open won A$1.1m

Past Similar Events

The US Open hosted a revamped, standalone combined gender tournament in late summer which encouraged top singles players to participate, with the winners receiving a million-dollar prize

The Melbourne tournament held its debut quick-fire event earlier this year, but the cash prize was sixty thousand Australian dollars and it generated little publicity

The Russian player was the sole elite competitor competing, and his campaign concluded when he sent the single service opportunity granted failing to clear the net in his quarter-final

Tournament Specifics

Officials have not said exactly how the event will operate, but it is expected to emulate a similar format to this year's edition

The top competitors will be granted to make one service and the amateurs on two occasions - as is the usual procedure in conventional tennis

While it is not certain how the draw will work, there will be five knockout rounds and the location will be the main stadium rather than the alternative court

The last matches will take place in a evening slot instead of midday timing

Entry Information

Local players - or foreign participants who have enrolled with Tennis Australia - can participate in 'quick-match event' events at their neighborhood facilities

The champions of the community events will then go into a random pairing, with one amateur player from every geographic division picked to take part in the 'championship round' in a night session on the specified date

There will also be a entry tournament in the final month which non-professionals, lower ranked pros, famous personalities and sports personalities can enter

It commences on early January and the pair of champions will advance to Wednesday's 'final showdown' with the remaining non-professionals and 10 professionals

"Whether you're an amateur or a pro, the overall victor will walk away with the reward. Registrations will open soon at clubs throughout the nation"

Competition planners stated there were "further celebrities to be unveiled imminently", while the tournament site mentioned "celebrities" would be taking part