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Amateur players will have the possibility to claim one million Australian dollars when they face tennis' top professionals - headed by top-ranked the Spanish champion - in a winner-takes-all point leading up to the Australian Grand Slam

Organizers of the Australian Open have announced the $1 Million Single-Point Tournament, which will pair 10 amateur players against top-ranked players in a elimination competition at the tournament grounds

This Innovative Tournament Functions

Competitors are set to play 'the classic hand game' to decide who serves or receives, and the competitor securing the point will advance to the next round

The victor of the event will receive a significant cash prize

Contextually, players who advanced to the final four of the men's or women's singles in the previous year's tournament won A$1.1m

Previous Related Competitions

The New York major hosted a revamped, standalone combined gender tournament in late summer which motivated top singles players to compete, with the victors receiving one million US dollars

The Melbourne tournament held its debut One Point Slam earlier this year, but the prize fund was sixty thousand Australian dollars and it had limited exposure

Andrey Rublev was the sole elite competitor participating, and his campaign finished when he sent the one and only serve permitted into the mesh in his penultimate round

Tournament Specifics

Organizers have not detailed exactly how the event will function, but it is projected to follow a comparable structure to the most recent iteration

The elite players will be allowed to make one service and the amateurs two times - as is the usual procedure in conventional tennis

While it is unclear how the draw will work, there will be several competitive phases and the location will be the Rod Laver Arena rather than the secondary venue

The last matches will be held in a evening slot instead of midday timing

Entry Requirements

Domestic competitors - or international players who have enrolled with the governing body - can compete in 'quick-match event' events at their community centers

The victors of the grassroots tournaments will then go into a draw, with a single non-professional from every region and area picked to take part in the 'championship round' in a night session on Wednesday, 14 January

There will also be a preliminary competition in late year which everyday players, aspiring competitors, well-known figures and athletic celebrities can enter

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

"Regardless of your skill level, the ultimate winner will walk away with the award. Entries will begin shortly at venues throughout the nation"

Event organizers mentioned there were "more big names to be announced soon", while the tournament site indicated "famous personalities" would be involved