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Everyday tennis enthusiasts are being offered the possibility to win a seven-figure prize when they take on tennis' top professionals - headed by top-ranked the Spanish champion - in a single-point showdown prior to the Australian Grand Slam

Event planners of the year's first Grand Slam have unveiled the $1 Million Single-Point Tournament, which will match a dozen non-professionals against elite athletes in a single-elimination format at the Australian Open venue

How the Event Will Work

Players will play 'the decision-making game' to determine who gets to serve or return, and the player who wins the point will move forward to the next round

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

By comparison, players who reached the final four of the primary tournaments in the last edition won over a million Australian dollars

Past Similar Events

The US Open hosted a redesigned, standalone combined gender tournament in August which encouraged top singles players to compete, with the victors receiving a million-dollar prize

The year's first major held its first-ever quick-fire event this year, but the cash prize was A$60,000 and it generated little publicity

Andrey Rublev was the only top-10 player involved, and his progress came to an end when he directed the sole serving chance granted into the mesh in his quarter-final

Competition Specifics

Organizers have not detailed exactly how the event will work, but it is anticipated to follow a akin setup to this year's edition

The top competitors will be permitted to make one service and the everyday players two times - as is the norm in traditional tennis

While it is not certain how the pairings will work, there will be several competitive phases and the location will be the Rod Laver Arena rather than the alternative court

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

Participation Information

Domestic competitors - or international players who have signed up with the governing body - can enter 'quick-match event' events at their community centers

The champions of the grassroots tournaments will then go into a draw, with one amateur player from every state and territory picked to participate in the 'grand finale' in a night session on mid-January

There will also be a entry tournament in late year which non-professionals, developing professionals, famous personalities and sports personalities can enter

It begins on early January and the successful competitors will go into Wednesday's 'championship match' with the other eight amateurs and top-ranked athletes

"Regardless of your skill level, the final champion will claim the prize. Applications will open soon at venues throughout the nation"

Competition planners mentioned there were "more big names to be unveiled imminently", while the tournament site indicated "celebrities" would be involved