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Recreational competitors are getting an opportunity to earn a seven-figure prize when they take on tennis' top professionals - featuring top-ranked Carlos Alcaraz - in a winner-takes-all point before January's Australian Open

Event planners of the year's first Grand Slam have revealed the Million Dollar One Point Slam, which will match a dozen non-professionals against 22 professionals in a single-elimination format at Melbourne Park

How the 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 subsequent phase

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

Contextually, players who made it to the penultimate round of the men's or women's singles in the last edition won A$1.1m

Earlier Related Competitions

The US Open organized a redesigned, separate mixed doubles tournament in late summer which motivated top singles players to compete, with the victors receiving a million-dollar prize

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

The Russian player was the single high-ranked athlete involved, and his progress concluded when he sent the one and only serve allowed failing to clear the net in his penultimate round

Tournament Specifics

Officials have not said exactly how the event will work, but it is anticipated to mirror a akin setup to the most recent iteration

The top competitors will be allowed to make one service and the everyday players 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 Rod Laver Arena rather than the alternative court

The final stages will occur in a night session instead of 1pm local time

Participation Requirements

Domestic competitors - or foreign participants who have registered with the national federation - can participate in 'One Point Slam' events at their community centers

The champions of the local competitions will then go into a random pairing, with an everyday competitor from every geographic division selected to take part in the 'grand finale' in a nighttime event on the specified date

There will also be a preliminary competition in December which amateurs, developing professionals, well-known figures and sport stars can participate in

It commences on Monday, 12 January and the pair of champions will qualify for the midweek 'grand finale' with the additional everyday players and top-ranked athletes

"No matter your experience, the overall victor will claim the prize. Registrations will open soon at venues nationwide"

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