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Amateur players will have the chance to claim A$1m when they face elite players - headed by top-ranked Carlos Alcaraz - in a winner-takes-all point before January's Australian Open

Tournament officials 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 single-elimination format at the tournament grounds

The Unique Competition Operates

Participants must play 'rock, paper, scissors' to determine who serves or receives, and whoever wins the point will progress to the following stage

The champion of the event will take home a significant cash prize

By comparison, players who reached the final four of the men's or women's singles in the last edition won over a million Australian dollars

Past Similar Events

The New York major hosted 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 quick-fire event in the current season, but the total purse was A$60,000 and it generated little publicity

One top competitor was the only top-10 player participating, and his campaign concluded when he put the single service opportunity granted into the net in his quarter-final

Competition Information

Organizers have not said exactly how the event will work, but it is expected to mirror a comparable structure to the previous version

The elite players will be permitted to have a single serve and the amateurs twice - as is the standard practice in traditional tennis

While it is uncertain how the pairings will work, there will be several competitive phases and the venue will be the Rod Laver Arena rather than the alternative court

The last matches will take place in a evening slot instead of early afternoon

Participation Information

Any Australians - or international players who have registered with Tennis Australia - can participate in 'One Point Slam' events at their local tennis clubs

The victors of the community events will then go into a selection process, with one amateur player from every region and area chosen to take part in the 'final competition' in a evening match on mid-January

There will also be a preliminary competition in late year which amateurs, developing professionals, celebrities and sports personalities can participate in

It starts on early January and the successful competitors will qualify for the midweek 'final showdown' with the additional everyday players and top-ranked athletes

"No matter your experience, the overall victor will walk away with the prize. Entries will start imminently at facilities nationwide"

Event organizers mentioned there were "more big names to be unveiled imminently", while the tournament site mentioned "well-known figures" would be participating