Everyday tennis enthusiasts are being offered the possibility to earn A$1m when they take on elite players - headed by leading player the Spanish champion - in a single-point showdown prior to the year's first major
Tournament officials of the year's first Grand Slam have announced the Seven-Figure Quick-Fire Competition, which will pit a dozen non-professionals against elite athletes in a knockout tournament at Melbourne Park
The Unique Event Will Work
Players will play 'the classic hand game' to decide who gets to serve or return, and the player who wins the point will progress to the next round
The victor of the event will receive a significant cash prize
For comparison, players who made it to the penultimate round of the primary tournaments in the last edition won substantial prize money
Past Comparable Tournaments
The American Grand Slam staged a revamped, standalone mixed doubles tournament in August which motivated top singles players to compete, with the victors receiving $1m
The Melbourne tournament held its first-ever quick-fire event this year, but the total purse was A$60,000 and it received minimal attention
One top competitor was the only top-10 player competing, and his campaign finished when he directed the sole serving chance allowed into the mesh in his last eight match
Tournament Details
Planners have not specified precisely how the event will operate, but it is projected to follow a akin setup to this year's edition
The professionals will be permitted to make one service and the non-professionals on two occasions - as is the standard practice in standard play
While it is unclear how the draw will work, there will be several competitive phases and the location will be the main stadium rather than the secondary venue
The last matches will occur in a nighttime schedule instead of 1pm local time
Participation Information
Any Australians - or foreign participants who have enrolled with Tennis Australia - can participate in 'One Point Slam' events at their neighborhood facilities
The winners of the local competitions will then go into a random pairing, with one amateur player from every state and territory picked to take part in the 'championship round' in a nighttime event on mid-January
There will also be a preliminary competition in December which non-professionals, developing professionals, well-known figures and athletic celebrities can enter
It commences on Monday, 12 January and the two winners will qualify for the midweek 'grand finale' with the remaining non-professionals and elite competitors
"No matter your experience, the final champion will receive the reward. Applications will start imminently at venues nationwide"
Tournament officials stated there were "further celebrities to be unveiled imminently", while the official website said "well-known figures" would be participating
