Everyday tennis enthusiasts will have the chance to win A$1m when they face world-class athletes - featuring world number one the Spanish champion - in a winner-takes-all point before January's Australian Open
Event planners of the Australian Open have announced the Million Dollar One Point Slam, which will match 10 amateur players against top-ranked players in a elimination competition at the Australian Open venue
This Innovative Competition Operates
Players will play 'rock, paper, scissors' to establish who serves or receives, and the player who wins the point will move forward to the next round
The victor of the event will earn £490,000
For comparison, players who advanced to the final four of the men's or women's singles in the previous year's tournament won substantial prize money
Past Related Competitions
The New York major organized a restructured, separate combined gender tournament in August which motivated top singles players to participate, with the winners receiving a million-dollar prize
The Australian Open held its inaugural quick-fire event earlier this year, but the total purse was sixty thousand Australian dollars and it received minimal attention
The Russian player was the single high-ranked athlete participating, and his campaign finished when he put the single service opportunity granted into the net in his quarter-final
Competition Specifics
Organizers have not detailed exactly how the event will work, but it is projected to follow a similar format to this year's edition
The top competitors will be permitted to serve once and the non-professionals on two occasions - as is the usual procedure in conventional tennis
While it is uncertain how the draw will work, there will be several competitive phases and the site will be the Rod Laver Arena rather than the secondary venue
The concluding rounds will be held in a nighttime schedule instead of early afternoon
Competitor Information
Domestic competitors - or overseas competitors who have enrolled with Tennis Australia - can compete in 'single-point competition' tournaments at their local tennis clubs
The victors of the local competitions will then go into a random pairing, with a single non-professional from every geographic division chosen to participate in the 'final competition' in a night session on the specified date
There will also be a entry tournament in late year which everyday players, aspiring competitors, well-known figures and athletic celebrities can enter
It starts on the starting date and the two winners will qualify for the midweek 'grand finale' with the remaining non-professionals and top-ranked athletes
"Whether you're an amateur or a pro, the overall victor will receive the prize. Registrations will open soon at venues throughout the nation"
Event organizers stated there were "more big names to be announced soon", while the event portal said "well-known figures" would be participating
