Carlos Alcaraz to Face Amateurs in Million Dollar Single-Point Showdown
Recreational competitors are getting an opportunity to win a seven-figure prize when they face elite players - including world number one Carlos Alcaraz - in a single-point showdown before January's Australian Open
Event planners of the Melbourne major have revealed the Million Dollar One Point Slam, which will pair 10 amateur players against top-ranked players in a elimination competition at the Australian Open venue
How the Event Will Work
Players will play 'the decision-making game' to establish who serves or receives, and the competitor securing the point will advance to the next round
The victor of the event will earn approximately half a million pounds
Contextually, players who made it to the penultimate round of the main draw competitions in the last edition won substantial prize money
Earlier Similar Events
The New York major staged a restructured, independent mixed doubles tournament in August which encouraged top singles players to participate, with the winners receiving one million US dollars
The Australian Open held its inaugural single-point competition this year, but the prize fund was sixty thousand Australian dollars and it generated little publicity
Andrey Rublev was the single high-ranked athlete involved, and his progress came to an end when he directed the sole serving chance permitted into the net in his quarter-final
Competition Information
Officials have not specified precisely how the event will work, but it is anticipated to emulate a similar format to the previous version
The elite players 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 multiple elimination stages and the site will be the main stadium rather than the smaller Kia Arena
The concluding rounds will take place in a night session instead of midday timing
Entry Requirements
Any Australians - or overseas competitors who have signed up with the national federation - can enter 'quick-match event' tournaments at their neighborhood facilities
The champions of the grassroots tournaments will then go into a draw, with a single non-professional from every geographic division selected to participate in the 'championship round' in a night session on the specified date
There will also be a preliminary competition in the final month which non-professionals, developing professionals, famous personalities and sports personalities can enter
It commences on early January and the successful competitors will go into Wednesday's 'grand finale' with the additional everyday players and 10 professionals
"Whether you're an amateur or a pro, the overall victor will receive the reward. Entries will start imminently at venues throughout the nation"
Event organizers stated there were "further celebrities to be revealed shortly", while the official website mentioned "well-known figures" would be involved