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Recreational competitors will have the chance to claim A$1m when they compete against tennis' top professionals - featuring top-ranked Carlos Alcaraz - in a single-point showdown before the Australian Grand Slam

Event planners of the Melbourne major have announced the Million Dollar One Point Slam, which will match everyday competitors against top-ranked players in a knockout tournament at the tournament grounds

How the Tournament Functions

Participants must play 'rock, paper, scissors' to decide who gets to serve or return, and whoever wins the point will advance to the next round

The victor of the event will earn a significant cash prize

By comparison, players who advanced to the penultimate round of the primary tournaments in the previous year's tournament won over a million Australian dollars

Earlier Similar Events

The American Grand Slam hosted a revamped, standalone combined gender tournament in the eighth month which prompted top singles players to compete, with the champions receiving $1m

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

The Russian player was the only top-10 player participating, and his run concluded when he put the single service opportunity granted into the mesh in his quarter-final

Tournament Details

Officials have not detailed exactly how the event will function, but it is expected to emulate a akin setup to this year's edition

The elite players will be granted to make one service and the amateurs 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 site will be the Rod Laver Arena rather than the secondary venue

The last matches will occur in a night session instead of midday timing

Participation Details

Any Australians - or foreign participants who have registered with Tennis Australia - can participate in 'One Point Slam' competitions at their community centers

The victors of the grassroots tournaments will then go into a selection process, with one amateur player from every region and area chosen to participate in the 'grand finale' in a nighttime event on the specified date

There will also be a entry tournament in December which everyday players, lower ranked pros, famous personalities and sports personalities can participate in

It begins on the starting date and the pair of champions will qualify for the following day's 'final showdown' with the other eight amateurs and 10 professionals

"Whether you're an amateur or a pro, the final champion will claim the reward. Applications will begin shortly at clubs nationwide"

Competition planners mentioned there were "further celebrities to be announced soon", while the tournament site indicated "well-known figures" would be participating