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Amateur players are being offered the possibility to win a seven-figure prize when they compete against world-class athletes - including world number one Carlos Alcaraz - in a one-point battle before the year's first major

Event planners of the Melbourne major have announced the Million Dollar One Point Slam, which will pit a dozen non-professionals against elite athletes in a elimination competition at Melbourne Park

This Innovative Tournament Functions

Competitors are set to play 'the decision-making game' to decide who takes the serve or return position, and the competitor securing the point will advance to the following stage

The winner of the event will take home a significant cash prize

By comparison, players who made it to the semi-finals of the main draw competitions in the last edition won A$1.1m

Past Similar Events

The American Grand Slam staged a redesigned, standalone mixed doubles tournament in the eighth month which motivated top singles players to take part, with the champions receiving $1m

The Australian Open held its debut single-point competition in the current season, but the cash prize was sixty thousand Australian dollars and it had limited exposure

Andrey Rublev was the sole elite competitor competing, and his run concluded when he directed the sole serving chance permitted failing to clear the net in his penultimate round

Event Specifics

Officials have not specified precisely how the event will operate, but it is projected to follow a akin setup to this year's edition

The elite players will be allowed to make one service and the everyday players twice - as is the norm in conventional tennis

While it is unclear how the bracket will work, there will be five knockout rounds and the site will be the Rod Laver Arena rather than the smaller Kia Arena

The last matches will be held in a night session instead of early afternoon

Participation Details

Any Australians - or overseas competitors who have registered with Tennis Australia - can compete in 'single-point competition' competitions at their community centers

The champions of the local competitions will then go into a random pairing, with an everyday competitor from every state and territory chosen to participate in the 'grand finale' in a night session on mid-January

There will also be a qualifying draw in late year which non-professionals, lower ranked pros, well-known figures and sports personalities can compete in

It begins on Monday, 12 January and the successful competitors will go into the following day's 'grand finale' with the remaining non-professionals and 10 professionals

"No matter your experience, the overall victor will receive the reward. Entries will begin shortly at venues throughout the nation"

Competition planners stated there were "more big names to be revealed shortly", while the tournament site said "well-known figures" would be involved