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Everyday tennis enthusiasts are getting the possibility to claim A$1m when they face world-class athletes - headed by leading player the Spanish champion - in a one-point battle prior to January's Australian Open

Event planners of the Melbourne major have unveiled the $1 Million Single-Point Tournament, which will pit everyday competitors against top-ranked players in a elimination competition at the tournament grounds

This Innovative Competition Operates

Competitors are set to play 'rock, paper, scissors' to establish who gets to serve or return, and the competitor securing the point will progress to the next round

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

By comparison, players who advanced to the final four of the men's or women's singles in the previous year's tournament won A$1.1m

Earlier Related Competitions

The US Open staged a revamped, standalone mixed doubles tournament in the eighth month which encouraged top singles players to participate, with the winners receiving $1m

The Australian Open held its first-ever One Point Slam in the current season, but the prize fund was A$60,000 and it received minimal attention

The Russian player was the single high-ranked athlete involved, and his run finished when he put the single service opportunity permitted into the mesh in his penultimate round

Event Details

Officials have not detailed exactly how the event will operate, but it is projected to mirror a similar format to the previous version

The professionals will be granted to make one service and the everyday players twice - as is the usual procedure in standard play

While it is uncertain how the bracket will work, there will be five knockout rounds and the location will be the Rod Laver Arena rather than the secondary venue

The final stages will occur in a night session instead of 1pm local time

Competitor Details

Any Australians - or overseas competitors who have enrolled with the national federation - can participate in 'quick-match event' events at their local tennis clubs

The winners of the local competitions will then go into a random pairing, with an everyday competitor from every geographic division selected to take part in the 'championship round' in a nighttime event on Wednesday, 14 January

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

It starts on early January and the pair of champions will advance to the following day's 'final showdown' with the remaining non-professionals and top-ranked athletes

"Regardless of your skill level, the ultimate winner will receive the award. Registrations will open soon at venues nationwide"

Event organizers mentioned there were "further celebrities to be revealed shortly", while the tournament site said "celebrities" would be involved