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Everyday tennis enthusiasts will have the chance to claim one million Australian dollars when they face world-class athletes - including world number one the Spanish champion - in a single-point showdown prior to January's Australian Open

Event planners of the year's first Grand Slam have revealed the Seven-Figure Quick-Fire Competition, which will pit everyday competitors against 22 professionals in a single-elimination format at the tournament grounds

How the Tournament Functions

Participants must play 'rock, paper, scissors' to establish who serves or receives, and the player who wins the point will progress to the subsequent phase

The winner of the event will receive £490,000

For comparison, players who reached the penultimate round of the main draw competitions in the 2025 Australian Open won substantial prize money

Earlier Related Competitions

The US Open staged a redesigned, standalone mixed doubles tournament in August which encouraged top singles players to take part, with the victors receiving $1m

The Australian Open held its debut quick-fire event earlier this year, but the total purse was a smaller amount and it had limited exposure

One top competitor was the single high-ranked athlete participating, and his progress finished when he put the sole serving chance allowed into the mesh in his last eight match

Competition Details

Planners have not detailed exactly how the event will operate, but it is projected to emulate a comparable structure to the most recent iteration

The professionals will be allowed to have a single serve and the non-professionals twice - as is the norm in traditional tennis

While it is not certain how the bracket will work, there will be several competitive phases and the location will be the Rod Laver Arena rather than the smaller Kia Arena

The last matches will be held in a nighttime schedule instead of 1pm local time

Participation Requirements

Local players - or foreign participants who have signed up with the governing body - can compete in 'single-point competition' tournaments at their neighborhood facilities

The champions of the grassroots tournaments will then go into a random pairing, with a single non-professional from every state and territory chosen to participate in the 'grand finale' in a evening match on the specified date

There will also be a qualifying draw in the final month which everyday players, lower ranked pros, celebrities and sports personalities can participate in

It commences on early January and the successful competitors will qualify for the following day's 'grand finale' with the other eight amateurs and elite competitors

"Regardless of your skill level, the ultimate winner will receive the award. Applications will open soon at clubs throughout the nation"

Competition planners stated there were "further celebrities to be unveiled imminently", while the tournament site mentioned "well-known figures" would be participating