Alcaraz to take on amateurs in Million Dollar One Point Slam

Amateur players will person nan chance to triumph A$1m erstwhile they look tennis' apical professionals - including world number 1 Carlos Alcaraz - successful a single-point showdown earlier January's Australian Open.

Organisers of nan year's first Grand Slam person announced nan Million Dollar One Point Slam, which will pit 10 amateur players against 22 professionals successful a knockout tourney astatine Melbourne Park.

Players will play 'rock, paper, scissors' to find who serves aliases receives, and whoever wins nan constituent will advancement to nan adjacent round.

The victor of nan arena will return location £490,000.

Players who reached nan semi-finals of nan men's aliases women's singles main tie successful nan 2025 Australian Open won A$1.1m (£540,000).

The US Open staged a revamped, standalone mixed doubles tourney successful August which encouraged apical singles players to participate, pinch nan winners receiving $1m (£737,000).

The Australian Open held its inaugural One Point Slam arena this year, but nan prize money was A$60,000 (£29,400) and it generated small publicity.

Andrey Rublev was nan only top-10 subordinate involved, and his tally came to an extremity erstwhile he put nan 1 and only service allowed into nan nett successful his quarter-final.

Australian master Omar Jasika won nan One Point Slam, which pitted 16 amateurs - 8 men and 8 women aged betwixt 15 and 72 - against 16 professionals.

Australian Open tourney head Craig Tiley said: "Whether you're an amateur aliases a pro, nan eventual victor will locomotion distant pinch nan prize. Entries will unfastened soon astatine clubs crossed nan country."

Tiley said location were "more large names to beryllium announced soon", while nan Australian Open website said "celebrities" would beryllium involved.

Organisers person not said precisely really nan arena will work, but it is expected to travel a akin format to this year's edition.

The professionals were allowed to service erstwhile and nan amateurs doubly - arsenic is nan norm successful accepted tennis.

While it is unclear really nan tie will work, location will beryllium 5 knockout rounds and nan venue will beryllium nan Rod Laver Arena alternatively than nan smaller Kia Arena.

The last stages will return spot successful a nighttime convention alternatively of 1pm section time.

Any Australians - aliases world players who person registered pinch Tennis Australia - tin participate 'One Point Slam' events astatine their section tennis clubs.

The winners of nan grassroots tournaments will past spell into a draw, pinch 1 amateur subordinate from each authorities and territory selected to return portion successful nan 'grand finale' successful a nighttime convention connected Wednesday, 14 January.

There will besides beryllium a qualifying tie successful December which amateurs, little classed pros, celebrities and athletics stars tin enter.

It starts connected Monday, 12 January and nan 2 winners will spell into Wednesday's 'grand finale' pinch nan different 8 amateurs and 10 professionals.