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Recreational competitors are being offered the possibility to claim a seven-figure prize when they take on elite players - featuring leading player Carlos Alcaraz - in a winner-takes-all point before January's Australian Open

Organizers of the Australian Open have announced the Million Dollar One Point Slam, which will pit everyday competitors against elite athletes in a knockout tournament at the Australian Open venue

The Unique Event Will Work

Competitors are set to play 'rock, paper, scissors' to decide who serves or receives, and the player who wins the point will advance to the following stage

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

Contextually, players who made it to the semi-finals of the main draw competitions in the last edition won A$1.1m

Earlier Similar Events

The American Grand Slam staged a restructured, standalone mixed doubles tournament in late summer which encouraged top singles players to compete, with the winners receiving $1m

The year's first major held its inaugural single-point competition this year, but the total purse was A$60,000 and it generated little publicity

One top competitor was the single high-ranked athlete competing, and his progress came to an end when he put the single service opportunity granted into the net in his last eight match

Tournament Details

Officials have not detailed exactly how the event will function, but it is anticipated to emulate a akin setup to the most recent iteration

The professionals will be granted to make one service and the everyday players on two occasions - as is the norm in standard play

While it is not certain how the bracket will work, there will be several competitive phases and the venue will be the Rod Laver Arena rather than the alternative court

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

Entry Requirements

Local players - or overseas competitors who have enrolled with Tennis Australia - can participate in 'One Point Slam' tournaments at their neighborhood facilities

The victors of the local competitions will then go into a draw, with one amateur player from every geographic division chosen to compete in the 'grand finale' in a nighttime event on the specified date

There will also be a qualifying draw in late year which non-professionals, aspiring competitors, celebrities and sport stars can enter

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

"Regardless of your skill level, the final champion will walk away with the prize. Entries will start imminently at facilities nationwide"

Event organizers said there were "further celebrities to be unveiled imminently", while the official website said "celebrities" would be participating