Carlos Alcaraz to Face Non-Professionals in Seven-Figure Winner-Takes-All Event
Amateur players will have an opportunity to claim A$1m when they face world-class athletes - including world number one the Spanish champion - in a one-point battle 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 match a dozen non-professionals against 22 professionals in a single-elimination format at the Australian Open venue
The Unique Tournament Functions
Players will play 'rock, paper, scissors' to determine who serves or receives, and whoever wins the point will advance to the subsequent phase
The champion of the event will receive a significant cash prize
For comparison, players who made it to the semi-finals of the men's or women's singles in the previous year's tournament won substantial prize money
Earlier Related Competitions
The New York major hosted a restructured, independent mixed doubles tournament in the eighth month which prompted top singles players to compete, with the winners receiving a million-dollar prize
The Melbourne tournament held its debut quick-fire event in the current season, but the cash prize was sixty thousand Australian dollars and it had limited exposure
The Russian player was the single high-ranked athlete competing, and his campaign concluded when he put the single service opportunity allowed into the net in his last eight match
Event Details
Planners have not detailed exactly how the event will operate, but it is expected to mirror a similar format to the most recent iteration
The elite players will be granted to make one service and the amateurs on two occasions - as is the usual procedure in traditional tennis
While it is unclear how the bracket will work, there will be several competitive phases and the site will be the main stadium rather than the alternative court
The last matches will occur in a nighttime schedule instead of midday timing
Participation Details
Domestic competitors - or overseas competitors who have signed up with Tennis Australia - can compete in 'One Point Slam' tournaments at their neighborhood facilities
The champions of the local competitions will then go into a draw, with one amateur player from every geographic division selected to take part in the 'grand finale' in a evening match on Wednesday, 14 January
There will also be a qualifying draw in late year which non-professionals, aspiring competitors, famous personalities and athletic celebrities can enter
It begins on Monday, 12 January and the pair of champions will advance to the following day's 'grand finale' with the remaining non-professionals and elite competitors
"Regardless of your skill level, the overall victor will claim the award. Registrations will start imminently at facilities throughout the nation"
Tournament officials stated there were "additional stars to be unveiled imminently", while the official website mentioned "celebrities" would be participating