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Amateur players are being offered the chance to win A$1m when they face tennis' top professionals - including world number one the Spanish champion - in a one-point battle before the Australian Grand Slam

Event planners of the Australian Open have announced the Million Dollar One Point Slam, which will pair everyday competitors against elite athletes in a knockout tournament at the Australian Open venue

The Unique 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 subsequent phase

The champion of the event will earn £490,000

Contextually, players who reached the penultimate round of the main draw competitions in the last edition won substantial prize money

Previous Comparable Tournaments

The US Open hosted a revamped, standalone mixed doubles tournament in the eighth month which motivated top singles players to take part, with the victors receiving $1m

The Melbourne tournament held its inaugural One Point Slam earlier this year, but the prize fund was sixty thousand Australian dollars and it generated little publicity

The Russian player was the sole elite competitor competing, and his progress came to an end when he sent the single service opportunity granted failing to clear the net in his last eight match

Competition Specifics

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

The elite players will be granted to serve once and the non-professionals two times - as is the norm in standard play

While it is uncertain how the pairings will work, there will be five knockout rounds and the venue will be the Rod Laver Arena rather than the alternative court

The concluding rounds will be held in a night session instead of midday timing

Participation Details

Local players - or foreign participants who have signed up with Tennis Australia - can compete in 'single-point competition' competitions at their local tennis clubs

The champions of the local competitions will then go into a draw, with one amateur player from every state and territory chosen to compete in the 'grand finale' in a night session on mid-January

There will also be a entry tournament in the final month which amateurs, developing professionals, well-known figures and sports personalities can participate in

It starts on the starting date and the pair of champions will go into the following day's 'final showdown' with the other eight amateurs and top-ranked athletes

"Whether you're an amateur or a pro, the final champion will walk away with the award. Applications will open soon at venues throughout the nation"

Tournament officials mentioned there were "more big names to be unveiled imminently", while the event portal mentioned "celebrities" would be involved