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Recreational competitors will have the possibility to earn a seven-figure prize when they face world-class athletes - headed by leading player Carlos Alcaraz - in a single-point showdown leading up to the year's first major

Organizers of the year's first Grand Slam have unveiled the Million Dollar One Point Slam, which will pair 10 amateur players against 22 professionals in a elimination competition at Melbourne Park

This Innovative Event Will Work

Competitors are set to play 'the decision-making game' to decide who gets to serve or return, and the player who wins the point will progress to the subsequent phase

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

For comparison, players who advanced to the semi-finals of the main draw competitions in the previous year's tournament won substantial prize money

Past Similar Events

The American Grand Slam hosted a restructured, independent mixed doubles tournament in August which motivated top singles players to take part, with the winners receiving a million-dollar prize

The year's first major held its first-ever quick-fire event this year, but the cash prize was sixty thousand Australian dollars and it had limited exposure

The Russian player was the sole elite competitor participating, and his campaign finished when he put the one and only serve allowed into the net in his quarter-final

Event Information

Officials have not said exactly how the event will operate, but it is projected to follow a comparable structure to the previous version

The professionals will be permitted to serve once and the amateurs two times - as is the usual procedure in conventional tennis

While it is uncertain how the bracket will work, there will be several competitive phases and the location will be the Rod Laver Arena rather than the secondary venue

The last matches will be held in a nighttime schedule instead of early afternoon

Entry Requirements

Local players - or foreign participants who have signed up with the national federation - can participate in 'single-point competition' events at their local tennis clubs

The champions of the local competitions will then go into a draw, with one amateur player from every geographic division chosen to take part in the 'grand finale' in a night session on mid-January

There will also be a preliminary competition in December which everyday players, aspiring competitors, famous personalities and sports personalities can enter

It starts on Monday, 12 January and the pair of champions will go into Wednesday's 'championship match' with the other eight amateurs and elite competitors

"Regardless of your skill level, the overall victor will receive the prize. Applications will start imminently at clubs across the country"

Competition planners stated there were "additional stars to be unveiled imminently", while the event portal indicated "well-known figures" would be taking part