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Everyday tennis enthusiasts are getting an opportunity to earn a seven-figure prize when they take on elite players - including top-ranked the Spanish champion - in a one-point battle leading up to the year's first major

Event planners of the Australian Open have revealed the $1 Million Single-Point Tournament, which will match everyday competitors against top-ranked players in a knockout tournament at the tournament grounds

The Unique Competition Operates

Participants must play 'the decision-making game' to determine who gets to serve or return, and the player who wins the point will move forward to the following stage

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

By comparison, players who made it to the penultimate round of the primary tournaments in the previous year's tournament won substantial prize money

Earlier Similar Events

The New York major hosted a redesigned, separate mixed doubles tournament in late summer which prompted top singles players to participate, with the victors receiving $1m

The year's first major held its inaugural quick-fire event earlier this year, but the prize fund was sixty thousand Australian dollars and it received minimal attention

The Russian player was the single high-ranked athlete competing, and his run came to an end when he sent the one and only serve granted into the mesh in his last eight match

Competition Information

Planners have not detailed exactly how the event will function, but it is expected to follow a comparable structure to this year's edition

The top competitors will be allowed to have a single serve and the non-professionals twice - as is the standard practice in traditional tennis

While it is unclear how the draw will work, there will be multiple elimination stages and the venue will be the Rod Laver Arena rather than the secondary venue

The last matches will be held in a nighttime schedule instead of midday timing

Entry Details

Local players - or international players who have signed up with the governing body - can participate in 'One Point Slam' events at their neighborhood facilities

The victors of the local competitions will then go into a random pairing, with one amateur player from every region and area chosen to take part in the 'championship round' in a night session on mid-January

There will also be a entry tournament in late year which non-professionals, developing professionals, famous personalities and sports personalities can compete in

It begins on early January and the pair of champions will advance to the following day's 'final showdown' with the other eight amateurs and top-ranked athletes

"Whether you're an amateur or a pro, the overall victor will receive the reward. Applications will start imminently at facilities nationwide"

Tournament officials stated there were "further celebrities to be revealed shortly", while the event portal mentioned "famous personalities" would be involved