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Amateur players are being offered the possibility to earn a seven-figure prize when they compete against elite players - including top-ranked the Spanish champion - in a one-point battle leading up to the year's first major

Organizers of the Australian Open have announced the Million Dollar One Point Slam, which will pit a dozen non-professionals against 22 professionals in a elimination competition at the tournament grounds

The Unique Competition Operates

Players will play 'the decision-making game' to decide who takes the serve or return position, and the competitor securing the point will advance to the next round

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

For comparison, players who made it to the final four of the main draw competitions in the last edition won over a million Australian dollars

Previous Comparable Tournaments

The US Open hosted a revamped, separate combined gender tournament in late summer which motivated top singles players to compete, with the winners receiving $1m

The year's first major held its debut single-point competition in the current season, but the total purse was A$60,000 and it had limited exposure

Andrey Rublev was the only top-10 player participating, and his campaign concluded when he directed the sole serving chance granted into the mesh in his penultimate round

Competition Information

Officials have not specified precisely how the event will work, but it is anticipated to mirror a comparable structure to the previous version

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

While it is unclear how the draw will work, there will be five knockout rounds and the site will be the main stadium rather than the alternative court

The concluding rounds will occur in a night session instead of midday timing

Entry Requirements

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

The winners of the local competitions will then go into a draw, with an everyday competitor from every state and territory selected to participate in the 'championship round' in a nighttime event on mid-January

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

It begins on early January and the successful competitors will go into the midweek 'championship match' with the other eight amateurs and 10 professionals

"No matter your experience, the final champion will claim the prize. Applications will begin shortly at facilities throughout the nation"

Event organizers said there were "more big names to be announced soon", while the official website mentioned "celebrities" would be participating