Everyday tennis enthusiasts are being offered the possibility to claim a seven-figure prize when they take on tennis' top professionals - headed by leading player the Spanish champion - in a one-point battle before the year's first major
Event planners of the Australian Open have announced the Seven-Figure Quick-Fire Competition, which will pair everyday competitors against elite athletes in a elimination competition at the tournament grounds
How the Tournament Functions
Players will play 'the classic hand game' to decide who takes the serve or return position, and whoever wins the point will progress to the next round
The champion of the event will take home £490,000
By comparison, players who advanced to the final four of the primary tournaments in the previous year's tournament won substantial prize money
Past Similar Events
The American Grand Slam staged a restructured, separate mixed doubles tournament in late summer which encouraged top singles players to take part, with the winners receiving $1m
The Melbourne tournament held its inaugural One Point Slam in the current season, but the cash prize was sixty thousand Australian dollars and it had limited exposure
One top competitor was the sole elite competitor participating, and his campaign came to an end when he sent the one and only serve allowed into the mesh in his penultimate round
Competition Information
Organizers have not detailed exactly how the event will operate, but it is projected to follow a akin setup to the previous version
The top competitors will be allowed to have a single serve and the non-professionals two times - as is the standard practice in traditional tennis
While it is uncertain how the draw will work, there will be five knockout rounds and the location will be the main stadium rather than the secondary venue
The last matches will occur in a nighttime schedule instead of 1pm local time
Participation Information
Domestic competitors - or foreign participants who have enrolled with the governing body - can participate in 'single-point competition' events at their neighborhood facilities
The victors of the local competitions will then go into a random pairing, with one amateur player from every state and territory chosen to compete in the 'championship round' in a nighttime event on Wednesday, 14 January
There will also be a entry tournament in the final month which amateurs, aspiring competitors, celebrities and athletic celebrities can enter
It commences on the starting date and the two winners will advance to Wednesday's 'final showdown' with the additional everyday players and top-ranked athletes
"No matter your experience, the final champion will receive the reward. Applications will open soon at clubs nationwide"
Tournament officials mentioned there were "additional stars to be unveiled imminently", while the official website indicated "celebrities" would be involved
