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Amateur players are being offered the possibility to earn one million Australian dollars when they take on world-class athletes - featuring world number one Carlos Alcaraz - in a one-point battle leading up to the year's first major

Event planners of the Melbourne major have announced the $1 Million Single-Point Tournament, which will pair 10 amateur players against 22 professionals in a single-elimination format at the Australian Open venue

This Innovative Competition Operates

Players will play 'the classic hand game' to determine who takes the serve or return position, and the player who wins the point will move forward to the next round

The champion of the event will take home approximately half a million pounds

Contextually, players who reached the semi-finals of the main draw competitions in the 2025 Australian Open won substantial prize money

Earlier Related Competitions

The US Open hosted a restructured, independent combined gender tournament in the eighth month which encouraged top singles players to participate, with the winners receiving one million US dollars

The year's first major held its inaugural single-point competition earlier this year, but the total purse was a smaller amount and it had limited exposure

The Russian player was the sole elite competitor competing, and his progress finished when he sent the one and only serve allowed into the mesh in his penultimate round

Tournament Specifics

Officials have not specified precisely how the event will function, but it is projected to follow a akin setup to this year's edition

The top competitors will be granted to make one service and the amateurs 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 Rod Laver Arena rather than the secondary venue

The final stages will occur in a nighttime schedule instead of early afternoon

Competitor Requirements

Domestic competitors - or foreign participants who have enrolled with the governing body - can compete in 'quick-match event' tournaments at their local tennis clubs

The champions of the community events will then go into a selection process, with an everyday competitor from every region and area chosen to participate in the 'final competition' in a nighttime event on mid-January

There will also be a entry tournament in late year which amateurs, aspiring competitors, well-known figures and athletic celebrities can compete in

It commences on the starting date and the two winners will advance to the following day's 'grand finale' with the other eight amateurs and top-ranked athletes

"Regardless of your skill level, the final champion will claim the prize. Entries will begin shortly at venues across the country"

Competition planners mentioned there were "additional stars to be unveiled imminently", while the tournament site indicated "celebrities" would be participating