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Recreational competitors are getting the possibility to claim A$1m when they face world-class athletes - including world number one the Spanish champion - in a winner-takes-all point before the year's first major

Organizers of the Australian Open have unveiled the Seven-Figure Quick-Fire Competition, which will pit everyday competitors against 22 professionals in a knockout tournament at the tournament grounds

How the Event Will Work

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

The winner of the event will receive approximately half a million pounds

For comparison, players who reached the penultimate round of the men's or women's singles in the last edition won substantial prize money

Previous Similar Events

The New York major organized a revamped, separate mixed doubles tournament in late summer which motivated top singles players to participate, with the winners receiving a million-dollar prize

The Melbourne tournament held its first-ever quick-fire event this year, but the cash prize was A$60,000 and it received minimal attention

Andrey Rublev was the single high-ranked athlete competing, and his campaign concluded when he sent the sole serving chance allowed into the mesh in his last eight match

Event Specifics

Organizers have not specified precisely how the event will operate, but it is anticipated to emulate a similar format to the previous version

The elite players will be allowed to have a single serve and the amateurs two times - as is the standard practice in standard play

While it is not certain how the bracket will work, there will be five knockout rounds and the location will be the primary court rather than the secondary venue

The last matches will be held in a evening slot instead of 1pm local time

Entry Details

Domestic competitors - or overseas competitors who have registered with Tennis Australia - can compete in 'One Point Slam' tournaments at their neighborhood facilities

The victors of the community events will then go into a random pairing, with a single non-professional from every geographic division picked to compete in the 'championship round' in a nighttime event on mid-January

There will also be a entry tournament in late year which everyday players, aspiring competitors, well-known figures and athletic celebrities can enter

It starts on Monday, 12 January and the successful competitors will go into Wednesday's 'final showdown' with the additional everyday players and 10 professionals

"Whether you're an amateur or a pro, the ultimate winner will claim the award. Registrations will open soon at clubs across the country"

Competition planners stated there were "more big names to be revealed shortly", while the event portal indicated "celebrities" would be involved