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Amateur players will have the chance to claim one million Australian dollars when they face tennis' top professionals - including leading player the Spanish champion - in a single-point showdown leading up to the year's first major

Event planners of the Australian Open have revealed the Million Dollar One Point Slam, which will pair a dozen non-professionals against elite athletes in a single-elimination format at the Australian Open venue

This Innovative Event Will Work

Competitors are set to play 'the decision-making game' to decide who serves or receives, and the competitor securing the point will advance to the following stage

The victor of the event will earn £490,000

By comparison, players who reached the final four of the main draw competitions in the 2025 Australian Open won A$1.1m

Previous Comparable Tournaments

The US Open hosted a restructured, independent mixed doubles tournament in August which encouraged top singles players to compete, with the winners receiving $1m

The Australian Open held its debut quick-fire event in the current season, but the cash prize was a smaller amount and it generated little publicity

One top competitor was the only top-10 player competing, and his run came to an end when he sent the one and only serve allowed into the mesh in his penultimate round

Event Details

Planners have not detailed exactly how the event will function, but it is anticipated to follow a comparable structure to the previous version

The professionals will be allowed to make one service and the everyday players twice - as is the standard practice in conventional tennis

While it is unclear how the draw will work, there will be several competitive phases and the venue will be the main stadium rather than the smaller Kia Arena

The concluding rounds will be held in a nighttime schedule instead of early afternoon

Entry Requirements

Local players - or international players who have registered with the governing body - can participate in 'quick-match event' competitions at their neighborhood facilities

The champions of the grassroots tournaments will then go into a random pairing, with a single non-professional from every geographic division picked to take part in the 'final competition' in a evening match on mid-January

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

It commences on the starting date and the pair of champions will advance to the midweek 'final showdown' with the remaining non-professionals and 10 professionals

"Regardless of your skill level, the ultimate winner will claim the award. Registrations will start imminently at venues across the country"

Tournament officials said there were "more big names to be revealed shortly", while the event portal said "celebrities" would be taking part