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Amateur players will have an opportunity to claim one million Australian dollars when they compete against tennis' top professionals - including top-ranked the Spanish champion - in a single-point showdown leading up to the Australian Grand Slam

Organizers of the Melbourne major have announced the $1 Million Single-Point Tournament, which will pair everyday competitors against top-ranked players in a single-elimination format at the tournament grounds

How the Event Will Work

Competitors are set to play 'the classic hand game' to determine who gets to serve or return, and the competitor securing the point will move forward to the next round

The victor of the event will earn a significant cash prize

For comparison, players who advanced to the semi-finals of the men's or women's singles in the previous year's tournament won A$1.1m

Earlier Related Competitions

The New York major staged a revamped, independent combined gender tournament in the eighth month which motivated top singles players to compete, with the victors receiving one million US dollars

The year's first major held its debut quick-fire event this year, but the total purse was a smaller amount and it received minimal attention

One top competitor was the sole elite competitor competing, and his campaign concluded when he directed the sole serving chance allowed into the mesh in his last eight match

Tournament Information

Officials have not detailed exactly how the event will work, but it is anticipated to follow a comparable structure to the most recent iteration

The professionals will be permitted to make one service and the amateurs two times - as is the standard practice in conventional tennis

While it is not certain how the pairings will work, there will be five knockout rounds and the location will be the Rod Laver Arena rather than the secondary venue

The concluding rounds will occur in a evening slot instead of early afternoon

Competitor Details

Local players - or foreign participants who have signed up with the governing body - can enter 'single-point competition' events at their community centers

The victors of the local competitions will then go into a selection process, with an everyday competitor from every region and area chosen to participate in the 'grand finale' in a nighttime event on mid-January

There will also be a preliminary competition in the final month which non-professionals, developing professionals, celebrities and sports personalities can compete in

It begins on the starting date and the successful competitors will qualify for Wednesday's 'final showdown' with the additional everyday players and elite competitors

"Regardless of your skill level, the overall victor will claim the reward. Entries will open soon at venues across the country"

Competition planners stated there were "more big names to be announced soon", while the official website mentioned "famous personalities" would be involved