Everyday tennis enthusiasts are being offered the possibility to claim A$1m when they face tennis' top professionals - featuring top-ranked Carlos Alcaraz - in a winner-takes-all point leading up to the year's first major
Tournament officials of the Australian Open have revealed the Seven-Figure Quick-Fire Competition, which will pit everyday competitors against 22 professionals in a elimination competition at the Australian Open venue
How the Event Will Work
Players will play 'the decision-making game' to determine who gets to serve or return, and the competitor securing the point will progress to the following stage
The champion of the event will take home a significant cash prize
For comparison, players who reached the penultimate round of the primary tournaments in the 2025 Australian Open won over a million Australian dollars
Previous Similar Events
The American Grand Slam staged a redesigned, independent mixed doubles tournament in the eighth month which motivated top singles players to take part, with the victors receiving a million-dollar prize
The Melbourne tournament held its inaugural One Point Slam this year, but the prize fund was sixty thousand Australian dollars and it received minimal attention
The Russian player was the single high-ranked athlete involved, and his progress concluded when he directed the one and only serve permitted into the net in his penultimate round
Tournament Details
Officials have not said exactly how the event will work, but it is projected to emulate a similar format to this year's edition
The elite players will be permitted to serve once and the amateurs on two occasions - as is the standard practice in traditional tennis
While it is unclear how the bracket will work, there will be several competitive phases and the site will be the primary court rather than the alternative court
The final stages will be held in a night session instead of early afternoon
Competitor Details
Any Australians - or overseas competitors who have registered with Tennis Australia - can enter 'single-point competition' tournaments at their community centers
The winners of the community events will then go into a draw, with a single non-professional from every geographic division chosen to take part in the 'championship round' in a nighttime event on mid-January
There will also be a qualifying draw in late year which everyday players, aspiring competitors, well-known figures and sport stars can enter
It commences on early January and the successful competitors will advance to the following day's 'championship match' with the remaining non-professionals and 10 professionals
"No matter your experience, the ultimate winner will receive the prize. Entries will begin shortly at venues across the country"
Competition planners said there were "additional stars to be unveiled imminently", while the event portal said "celebrities" would be taking part
