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Amateur players are being offered the chance to claim one million Australian dollars when they take on elite players - including leading player Carlos Alcaraz - in a single-point showdown prior to the Australian Grand Slam

Organizers of the year's first Grand Slam have unveiled the Seven-Figure Quick-Fire Competition, which will pit everyday competitors against top-ranked players in a knockout tournament at the tournament grounds

The Unique Tournament Functions

Participants must play 'the classic hand game' to establish who gets to serve or return, and the competitor securing the point will move forward to the subsequent phase

The champion of the event will receive £490,000

Contextually, players who advanced to the semi-finals of the primary tournaments in the last edition won over a million Australian dollars

Earlier Similar Events

The US Open hosted a revamped, independent combined gender tournament in August which motivated top singles players to compete, with the champions receiving $1m

The Melbourne tournament held its first-ever single-point competition this year, but the prize fund was A$60,000 and it received minimal attention

The Russian player was the single high-ranked athlete participating, and his progress finished when he put the sole serving chance permitted into the net in his quarter-final

Competition Details

Officials have not specified precisely how the event will function, but it is anticipated to mirror a comparable structure to the most recent iteration

The professionals will be allowed to make one service and the non-professionals twice - as is the norm in standard play

While it is uncertain how the pairings will work, there will be multiple elimination stages and the location will be the main stadium rather than the smaller Kia Arena

The final stages will take place in a evening slot instead of midday timing

Participation Details

Any Australians - or foreign participants who have registered with the national federation - can participate in 'single-point competition' tournaments at their community centers

The winners of the community events will then go into a selection process, with a single non-professional from every geographic division picked to take part in the 'final competition' in a nighttime event on mid-January

There will also be a qualifying draw in December which amateurs, developing professionals, celebrities and sports personalities can compete in

It begins on the starting date and the two winners will advance to the midweek 'grand finale' with the other eight amateurs and top-ranked athletes

"Regardless of your skill level, the ultimate winner will walk away with the award. Applications will begin shortly at facilities nationwide"

Event organizers stated there were "additional stars to be unveiled imminently", while the tournament site said "famous personalities" would be participating