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Everyday tennis enthusiasts are being offered the chance to win one million Australian dollars when they face world-class athletes - including world number one Carlos Alcaraz - in a winner-takes-all point before January's Australian Open

Event planners of the year's first Grand Slam have announced the Million Dollar One Point Slam, which will pair a dozen non-professionals against 22 professionals in a elimination competition at the tournament grounds

The Unique Event Will Work

Competitors are set to play 'the decision-making game' to determine who takes the serve or return position, and the competitor securing the point will move forward to the next round

The victor of the event will take home £490,000

By comparison, players who reached the final four of the primary tournaments in the previous year's tournament won A$1.1m

Past Related Competitions

The US Open hosted a revamped, separate mixed doubles tournament in the eighth month which prompted top singles players to take part, with the winners receiving a million-dollar prize

The year's first major held its inaugural One Point Slam earlier this year, but the prize fund was A$60,000 and it generated little publicity

The Russian player was the sole elite competitor participating, and his progress finished when he put the single service opportunity allowed failing to clear the net in his last eight match

Event Specifics

Organizers have not specified precisely how the event will operate, but it is projected to follow a akin setup to this year's edition

The professionals will be allowed to make one service and the everyday players two times - as is the norm in conventional tennis

While it is unclear how the bracket will work, there will be multiple elimination stages and the site will be the Rod Laver Arena rather than the smaller Kia Arena

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

Participation Details

Local players - or overseas competitors who have enrolled with Tennis Australia - can compete in 'single-point competition' competitions at their community centers

The winners of the community events will then go into a selection process, with an everyday competitor from every geographic division picked to participate in the 'final competition' in a nighttime event on the specified date

There will also be a qualifying draw in December which everyday players, lower ranked pros, well-known figures and athletic celebrities can enter

It commences on the starting date and the two winners will go into the following day's 'championship match' with the other eight amateurs and top-ranked athletes

"Regardless of your skill level, the ultimate winner will receive the reward. Registrations will begin shortly at venues across the country"

Tournament officials mentioned there were "further celebrities to be revealed shortly", while the event portal mentioned "well-known figures" would be taking part