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Amateur players are getting the chance to earn a seven-figure prize when they face elite players - including leading player Carlos Alcaraz - in a single-point showdown before the Australian Grand Slam

Tournament officials of the year's first Grand Slam have revealed the Seven-Figure Quick-Fire Competition, which will pit everyday competitors against top-ranked players in a elimination competition at Melbourne Park

The Unique Competition Operates

Competitors are set to play 'the classic hand game' to establish who takes the serve or return position, and whoever wins the point will progress to the next round

The champion of the event will earn £490,000

By comparison, players who reached the penultimate round of the main draw competitions in the last edition won substantial prize money

Past Related Competitions

The American Grand Slam staged a redesigned, independent combined gender tournament in the eighth month which motivated top singles players to take part, with the winners receiving a million-dollar prize

The Melbourne tournament held its first-ever One Point Slam earlier this year, but the cash prize was A$60,000 and it received minimal attention

The Russian player was the only top-10 player participating, and his campaign concluded when he put the one and only serve permitted into the mesh in his quarter-final

Event Information

Organizers have not specified precisely how the event will operate, but it is anticipated to follow a similar format to this year's edition

The top competitors will be granted to serve once and the amateurs twice - as is the standard practice in conventional tennis

While it is uncertain how the pairings will work, there will be multiple elimination stages and the site will be the primary court rather than the smaller Kia Arena

The last matches will take place in a night session instead of 1pm local time

Participation Information

Any Australians - or international players who have enrolled with the governing body - can enter 'single-point competition' events at their neighborhood facilities

The champions of the community events will then go into a draw, with one amateur player from every region and area chosen to participate in the 'final competition' in a night session on the specified date

There will also be a qualifying draw in the final month which non-professionals, aspiring competitors, celebrities and athletic celebrities can compete in

It commences on early January and the successful competitors will advance to the midweek 'final showdown' with the other eight amateurs and elite competitors

"Regardless of your skill level, the ultimate winner will claim the reward. Registrations will start imminently at clubs nationwide"

Competition planners said there were "additional stars to be revealed shortly", while the tournament site indicated "celebrities" would be participating