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Everyday tennis enthusiasts are getting an opportunity to win a seven-figure prize when they take on tennis' top professionals - including world number one Carlos Alcaraz - in a single-point showdown prior to January's Australian Open

Tournament officials of the year's first Grand Slam have revealed the Seven-Figure Quick-Fire Competition, which will match everyday competitors against elite athletes in a elimination competition at the Australian Open venue

How the Event Will Work

Competitors are set to play 'the classic hand game' to determine who takes the serve or return position, and the competitor securing the point will progress to the subsequent phase

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

By comparison, players who reached the semi-finals of the main draw competitions in the previous year's tournament won substantial prize money

Previous Related Competitions

The American Grand Slam organized a restructured, standalone mixed doubles tournament in late summer which prompted top singles players to participate, with the winners receiving one million US dollars

The Australian Open held its inaugural single-point competition earlier this year, but the cash prize was sixty thousand Australian dollars and it received minimal attention

Andrey Rublev was the single high-ranked athlete competing, and his campaign came to an end when he sent the one and only serve granted into the net in his last eight match

Event Information

Officials have not detailed exactly how the event will function, but it is projected to mirror a akin setup to the previous version

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

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

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

Competitor Information

Any Australians - or international players who have signed up with the governing body - can participate in 'single-point competition' competitions at their neighborhood facilities

The winners of the grassroots tournaments will then go into a selection process, with a single non-professional from every geographic division selected to take part in the 'final competition' in a evening match on Wednesday, 14 January

There will also be a qualifying draw in the final month which everyday players, aspiring competitors, celebrities and sport stars can compete in

It begins on the starting date and the pair of champions will qualify for the midweek 'grand finale' with the additional everyday players and top-ranked athletes

"Regardless of your skill level, the overall victor will receive the award. Entries will begin shortly at facilities across the country"

Event organizers mentioned there were "more big names to be unveiled imminently", while the official website indicated "well-known figures" would be participating