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Everyday tennis enthusiasts are being offered the chance to earn A$1m when they face world-class athletes - including world number one Carlos Alcaraz - in a single-point showdown leading up to January's Australian Open

Organizers of the year's first Grand Slam have unveiled the $1 Million Single-Point Tournament, which will pit everyday competitors against 22 professionals in a elimination competition at the tournament grounds

This Innovative Competition Operates

Participants must play 'rock, paper, scissors' to establish who serves or receives, and whoever wins the point will advance to the following stage

The victor of the event will earn £490,000

For comparison, players who reached the penultimate round of the main draw competitions in the 2025 Australian Open won A$1.1m

Earlier Similar Events

The US Open hosted a revamped, standalone mixed doubles tournament in the eighth month which prompted top singles players to compete, with the winners receiving a million-dollar prize

The Melbourne tournament held its debut quick-fire event earlier this year, but the prize fund was sixty thousand Australian dollars and it received minimal attention

One top competitor was the only top-10 player competing, and his run finished when he sent the sole serving chance permitted into the mesh in his penultimate round

Competition Information

Organizers have not detailed exactly how the event will operate, but it is anticipated to follow a similar format to the most recent iteration

The elite players will be permitted to make one service and the everyday players on two occasions - as is the usual procedure in traditional tennis

While it is not certain how the bracket will work, there will be several competitive phases and the venue will be the main stadium rather than the alternative court

The last matches will occur in a nighttime schedule instead of early afternoon

Competitor Details

Domestic competitors - or overseas competitors who have signed up with the national federation - can enter 'quick-match event' tournaments at their community centers

The winners of the grassroots tournaments will then go into a random pairing, with an everyday competitor from every geographic division selected to participate in the 'championship round' in a night session on Wednesday, 14 January

There will also be a entry tournament in late year which amateurs, aspiring competitors, celebrities and athletic celebrities can compete in

It commences on the starting date and the pair of champions will qualify for the following day's 'final showdown' with the remaining non-professionals and 10 professionals

"Regardless of your skill level, the final champion will claim the reward. Applications will open soon at venues nationwide"

Tournament officials mentioned there were "more big names to be unveiled imminently", while the event portal mentioned "well-known figures" would be taking part