🔗 Share this article

Everyday tennis enthusiasts are getting the chance to earn A$1m when they take on world-class athletes - including top-ranked the Spanish champion - in a single-point showdown prior to January's Australian Open

Organizers of the Australian Open have unveiled the $1 Million Single-Point Tournament, which will pit 10 amateur players against elite athletes in a knockout tournament at the Australian Open venue

This Innovative Tournament Functions

Participants must play 'the classic hand game' to establish who gets to serve or return, and the player who wins the point will move forward to the subsequent phase

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

For comparison, players who reached the penultimate round of the men's or women's singles in the previous year's tournament won A$1.1m

Previous Comparable Tournaments

The US Open organized a restructured, separate mixed doubles tournament in August which prompted top singles players to take part, with the winners receiving $1m

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

One top competitor was the single high-ranked athlete involved, and his run came to an end when he directed the single service opportunity permitted failing to clear the net in his quarter-final

Event Details

Officials have not specified precisely how the event will work, but it is anticipated to emulate a comparable structure to the most recent iteration

The top competitors will be granted to make one service and the non-professionals two times - as is the norm in traditional tennis

While it is uncertain how the bracket will work, there will be multiple elimination stages and the site will be the Rod Laver Arena rather than the smaller Kia Arena

The final stages will occur in a nighttime schedule instead of early afternoon

Participation Information

Any Australians - or overseas competitors who have enrolled with the governing body - can enter 'quick-match event' events at their local tennis clubs

The winners of the community events will then go into a selection process, with an everyday competitor from every geographic division selected to participate in the 'championship round' in a nighttime event on mid-January

There will also be a entry tournament in the final month which everyday players, lower ranked pros, famous personalities and athletic celebrities can participate in

It starts on Monday, 12 January and the pair of champions will advance to the following day's 'grand finale' with the other eight amateurs and top-ranked athletes

"Regardless of your skill level, the final champion will claim the prize. Applications will open soon at facilities throughout the nation"

Event organizers stated there were "more big names to be announced soon", while the event portal mentioned "famous personalities" would be involved