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Everyday tennis enthusiasts are being offered the possibility to win one million Australian dollars when they compete against tennis' top professionals - including world number one Carlos Alcaraz - in a single-point showdown leading up to the Australian Grand Slam

Event planners of the Australian Open have revealed the $1 Million Single-Point Tournament, which will pit a dozen non-professionals against elite athletes in a knockout tournament at the tournament grounds

The Unique Competition Operates

Participants must play 'rock, paper, scissors' to establish who gets to serve or return, and the competitor securing the point will progress to the next round

The winner of the event will take home a significant cash prize

Contextually, players who made it to the semi-finals of the primary tournaments in the last edition won substantial prize money

Earlier Similar Events

The US Open organized a restructured, standalone mixed doubles tournament in late summer which encouraged top singles players to participate, with the victors receiving $1m

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

One top competitor was the only top-10 player competing, and his run concluded when he put the one and only serve allowed into the net in his last eight match

Competition Information

Officials have not specified precisely how the event will operate, but it is projected to emulate a akin setup to this year's edition

The top competitors will be permitted to serve once and the non-professionals two times - as is the usual procedure in standard play

While it is uncertain how the bracket will work, there will be multiple elimination stages and the site will be the Rod Laver Arena rather than the smaller Kia Arena

The concluding rounds will occur in a night session instead of early afternoon

Competitor Information

Local players - or foreign participants who have registered with the governing body - can compete in 'single-point competition' events at their community centers

The champions of the grassroots tournaments will then go into a draw, with a single non-professional from every geographic division selected to compete in the 'final competition' in a evening match on mid-January

There will also be a qualifying draw in the final month which everyday players, aspiring competitors, well-known figures and sport stars can participate in

It starts on Monday, 12 January and the successful competitors will advance to the following day's 'final showdown' with the additional everyday players and elite competitors

"Regardless of your skill level, the final champion will claim the award. Registrations will begin shortly at venues throughout the nation"

Event organizers mentioned there were "more big names to be revealed shortly", while the tournament site indicated "celebrities" would be taking part