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Amateur players are getting an opportunity to win a seven-figure prize when they face world-class athletes - featuring top-ranked the Spanish champion - in a one-point battle prior to the year's first major

Event planners of the year's first Grand Slam have revealed the $1 Million Single-Point Tournament, which will pair everyday competitors against top-ranked players in a knockout tournament at Melbourne Park

This Innovative Competition Operates

Players will play 'rock, paper, scissors' to decide who serves or receives, and the player who wins the point will advance to the subsequent phase

The victor of the event will receive £490,000

By comparison, players who advanced to the semi-finals of the men's or women's singles in the last edition won over a million Australian dollars

Previous Similar Events

The US Open hosted a restructured, independent combined gender tournament in August which motivated top singles players to take part, with the champions receiving one million US dollars

The Australian Open held its first-ever single-point competition in the current season, but the cash prize was sixty thousand Australian dollars and it received minimal attention

Andrey Rublev was the only top-10 player involved, and his progress finished when he sent the one and only serve permitted failing to clear the net in his last eight match

Event Information

Planners have not detailed exactly how the event will operate, but it is anticipated to mirror a comparable structure to this year's edition

The elite players will be allowed to serve once and the amateurs two times - as is the standard practice in standard play

While it is not certain how the draw will work, there will be five knockout rounds and the venue will be the Rod Laver Arena rather than the secondary venue

The final stages will be held in a night session instead of early afternoon

Competitor Information

Local players - or international players who have registered with the governing body - can enter 'single-point competition' competitions at their local tennis clubs

The winners of the local competitions will then go into a random pairing, with a single non-professional from every region and area picked to participate in the 'final competition' in a night session on the specified date

There will also be a preliminary competition in late year which everyday players, aspiring competitors, famous personalities and sport stars can compete in

It begins on early January and the two winners will advance to Wednesday's 'championship match' with the other eight amateurs and top-ranked athletes

"No matter your experience, the overall victor will receive the award. Entries will start imminently at facilities across the country"

Competition planners mentioned there were "more big names to be unveiled imminently", while the event portal mentioned "well-known figures" would be participating