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Everyday tennis enthusiasts are being offered the chance to claim one million Australian dollars when they take on world-class athletes - including top-ranked the Spanish champion - in a winner-takes-all point leading up to the Australian Grand Slam

Organizers of the Australian Open have unveiled the Million Dollar One Point Slam, which will pit everyday competitors against elite athletes in a knockout tournament at the tournament grounds

The Unique Tournament Functions

Competitors are set to play 'the classic hand game' to establish who serves or receives, and whoever wins the point will move forward to the next round

The victor of the event will take home approximately half a million pounds

For comparison, players who advanced to the semi-finals of the main draw competitions in the last edition won over a million Australian dollars

Past Comparable Tournaments

The American Grand Slam staged a redesigned, separate combined gender tournament in August which encouraged top singles players to participate, with the champions receiving $1m

The year's first major held its inaugural One Point Slam earlier this year, but the total purse was sixty thousand Australian dollars and it received minimal attention

Andrey Rublev was the sole elite competitor participating, and his campaign concluded when he directed the single service opportunity permitted into the net in his last eight match

Tournament Details

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

The elite players will be permitted to have a single serve and the everyday players twice - as is the norm in standard play

While it is uncertain how the pairings will work, there will be five knockout rounds and the site will be the Rod Laver Arena rather than the alternative court

The final stages will take place in a nighttime schedule instead of midday timing

Entry Information

Domestic competitors - or overseas competitors who have signed up with the governing body - can enter 'One Point Slam' events at their community centers

The champions of the grassroots tournaments will then go into a draw, with an everyday competitor from every region and area selected to take part in the 'grand finale' in a evening match on the specified date

There will also be a qualifying draw in December which amateurs, developing professionals, famous personalities and sport stars can enter

It begins on early January and the successful competitors will go into the midweek 'final showdown' with the remaining non-professionals and 10 professionals

"Whether you're an amateur or a pro, the final champion will claim the prize. Applications will open soon at clubs nationwide"

Competition planners said there were "further celebrities to be announced soon", while the event portal said "celebrities" would be taking part