🔗 Share this article

Amateur players are being offered an opportunity to earn one million Australian dollars when they take on tennis' top professionals - featuring top-ranked the Spanish champion - in a one-point battle leading up to the year's first major

Tournament officials of the year's first Grand Slam have unveiled the Seven-Figure Quick-Fire Competition, which will match everyday competitors against elite athletes in a knockout tournament at Melbourne Park

The Unique Tournament Functions

Players will play 'the classic hand game' to determine who gets to serve or return, and whoever wins the point will advance to the following stage

The victor of the event will earn a significant cash prize

By comparison, players who made it to the semi-finals of the men's or women's singles in the last edition won A$1.1m

Earlier Related Competitions

The New York major hosted a revamped, independent mixed doubles tournament in August which prompted top singles players to compete, with the champions receiving a million-dollar prize

The year's first major held its first-ever single-point competition in the current season, but the total purse was sixty thousand Australian dollars and it had limited exposure

One top competitor was the sole elite competitor involved, and his campaign finished when he sent the one and only serve allowed into the net in his last eight match

Event Details

Officials have not said exactly how the event will function, but it is anticipated to follow a similar format to the most recent iteration

The top competitors will be allowed to serve once and the non-professionals twice - 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 location will be the main stadium rather than the secondary venue

The final stages will be held in a night session instead of midday timing

Competitor Requirements

Any Australians - or overseas competitors who have enrolled with the national federation - can compete in 'single-point competition' competitions at their local tennis clubs

The winners of the grassroots tournaments will then go into a draw, with an everyday competitor from every region and area chosen to participate in the 'grand finale' in a evening match on mid-January

There will also be a qualifying draw in the final month which non-professionals, developing professionals, well-known figures and sports personalities can compete in

It starts on Monday, 12 January and the two winners will advance to Wednesday's 'final showdown' with the additional everyday players and 10 professionals

"No matter your experience, the final champion will claim the prize. Entries will open soon at facilities nationwide"

Competition planners said there were "more big names to be revealed shortly", while the event portal indicated "well-known figures" would be taking part