Carlos Alcaraz Ready to Battle Non-Professionals in Seven-Figure Winner-Takes-All Event
Amateur players are being offered the possibility to earn one million Australian dollars when they compete against tennis' top professionals - including top-ranked the Spanish champion - in a winner-takes-all point prior to January's Australian Open
Organizers of the year's first Grand Slam have revealed the Seven-Figure Quick-Fire Competition, which will pit a dozen non-professionals against top-ranked players in a knockout tournament at the Australian Open venue
The Unique Event Will Work
Participants must play 'the decision-making game' to decide who takes the serve or return position, and the player who wins the point will move forward to the subsequent phase
The champion of the event will receive a significant cash prize
Contextually, players who made it to the final four of the men's or women's singles in the last edition won A$1.1m
Previous Comparable Tournaments
The American Grand Slam organized a revamped, independent mixed doubles tournament in late summer which motivated top singles players to take part, with the winners receiving one million US dollars
The Australian Open held its inaugural single-point competition in the current season, but the total purse was A$60,000 and it received minimal attention
Andrey Rublev was the single high-ranked athlete participating, and his run came to an end when he directed the sole serving chance permitted failing to clear the net in his quarter-final
Competition Specifics
Planners have not said exactly how the event will operate, but it is expected to follow a similar format to the most recent iteration
The top competitors will be allowed to serve once and the non-professionals two times - as is the norm in conventional tennis
While it is uncertain how the draw will work, there will be several competitive phases and the site will be the primary court rather than the smaller Kia Arena
The concluding rounds will take place in a evening slot instead of midday timing
Competitor Details
Local players - or overseas competitors who have signed up with the national federation - can participate in 'One Point Slam' events at their neighborhood facilities
The champions of the local competitions will then go into a random pairing, with one amateur player from every state and territory selected to take part in the 'grand finale' 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 sports personalities can participate in
It commences on early January and the successful competitors will qualify for the midweek 'grand finale' with the additional everyday players and 10 professionals
"Regardless of your skill level, the final champion will walk away with the reward. Entries will open soon at venues across the country"
Event organizers mentioned there were "more big names to be unveiled imminently", while the tournament site indicated "well-known figures" would be involved