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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 leading player Carlos Alcaraz - in a one-point battle prior to the year's first major

Tournament officials of the Melbourne major have revealed the $1 Million Single-Point Tournament, which will pit everyday competitors against 22 professionals in a elimination competition at the tournament grounds

How the Tournament Functions

Participants must play 'rock, paper, scissors' to decide who serves or receives, and whoever wins the point will advance to the subsequent phase

The champion of the event will earn approximately half a million pounds

By comparison, players who reached the semi-finals of the main draw competitions in the last edition won substantial prize money

Past Similar Events

The New York major organized a redesigned, separate combined gender tournament in August which encouraged top singles players to take part, with the champions receiving $1m

The Melbourne tournament held its first-ever single-point competition this year, but the cash prize was A$60,000 and it had limited exposure

Andrey Rublev was the only top-10 player competing, and his progress finished when he directed the sole serving chance permitted into the net in his quarter-final

Event Information

Officials have not detailed exactly how the event will work, but it is anticipated to emulate a similar format to the most recent iteration

The elite players will be permitted to have a single serve and the non-professionals on two occasions - as is the norm in standard play

While it is unclear how the bracket will work, there will be several competitive phases and the site will be the Rod Laver Arena rather than the smaller Kia Arena

The concluding rounds will take place in a nighttime schedule instead of midday timing

Entry Requirements

Local players - or overseas competitors who have signed up with the national federation - can compete in 'One Point Slam' events at their local tennis clubs

The champions of the grassroots tournaments will then go into a selection process, with a single non-professional from every region and area picked to take part in the 'championship round' in a night session on Wednesday, 14 January

There will also be a preliminary competition in late year which everyday players, aspiring competitors, celebrities and sports personalities can participate in

It begins on Monday, 12 January and the two winners will qualify for Wednesday's 'final showdown' with the other eight amateurs and elite competitors

"Regardless of your skill level, the ultimate winner will walk away with the award. Registrations will open soon at facilities throughout the nation"

Event organizers said there were "further celebrities to be unveiled imminently", while the event portal mentioned "celebrities" would be taking part