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Recreational competitors will have the chance to claim A$1m when they face world-class athletes - featuring top-ranked the Spanish champion - in a winner-takes-all point before the year's first major

Tournament officials of the Australian Open have revealed the Million Dollar One Point Slam, which will match 10 amateur players against 22 professionals in a knockout tournament at the tournament grounds

This Innovative Competition Operates

Participants must play 'rock, paper, scissors' to decide who takes the serve or return position, and whoever wins the point will move forward to the subsequent phase

The winner of the event will earn a significant cash prize

By comparison, players who reached the semi-finals of the main draw competitions in the previous year's tournament won substantial prize money

Previous Comparable Tournaments

The New York major hosted a redesigned, standalone mixed doubles tournament in the eighth month which motivated top singles players to take part, with the victors receiving one million US dollars

The Australian Open held its inaugural quick-fire event earlier this year, but the prize fund was A$60,000 and it had limited exposure

The Russian player was the single high-ranked athlete participating, and his progress came to an end when he sent the one and only serve granted into the mesh in his quarter-final

Event Information

Planners have not said exactly how the event will function, but it is anticipated to follow a similar format to this year's edition

The top competitors will be permitted to serve once and the non-professionals on two occasions - as is the norm in standard play

While it is unclear how the bracket will work, there will be several competitive phases and the site will be the primary court rather than the secondary venue

The concluding rounds will be held in a night session instead of 1pm local time

Entry Details

Local players - or overseas competitors who have registered with the national federation - can compete in 'quick-match event' competitions at their local tennis clubs

The champions of the grassroots tournaments will then go into a draw, with one amateur player from every state and territory picked to compete in the 'grand finale' in a nighttime event on mid-January

There will also be a qualifying draw in December which non-professionals, aspiring competitors, famous personalities and athletic celebrities can enter

It starts on the starting date and the two winners will qualify for the following day's 'final showdown' with the other eight amateurs and elite competitors

"No matter your experience, the overall victor will walk away with the award. Registrations will start imminently at venues throughout the nation"

Competition planners said there were "more big names to be revealed shortly", while the event portal indicated "famous personalities" would be taking part