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Amateur players are getting an opportunity to earn one million Australian dollars when they take on tennis' top professionals - including top-ranked Carlos Alcaraz - in a winner-takes-all point leading up to January's Australian Open

Tournament officials of the Australian Open have announced the Seven-Figure Quick-Fire Competition, which will pair everyday competitors against elite athletes in a knockout tournament at the tournament grounds

How the Event Will Work

Players will play 'the classic hand game' to decide who serves or receives, and the competitor securing the point will advance to the subsequent phase

The victor of the event will earn £490,000

By comparison, players who reached the final four of the men's or women's singles in the 2025 Australian Open won over a million Australian dollars

Earlier Comparable Tournaments

The New York major staged a restructured, independent mixed doubles tournament in late summer which encouraged top singles players to compete, with the winners receiving $1m

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

Andrey Rublev was the single high-ranked athlete involved, and his progress finished when he directed the sole serving chance granted failing to clear the net in his quarter-final

Competition Information

Planners have not detailed exactly how the event will function, but it is anticipated to mirror a comparable structure to the most recent iteration

The elite players will be granted to make one service and the amateurs on two occasions - as is the norm in conventional tennis

While it is not certain how the draw will work, there will be several competitive phases and the location will be the Rod Laver Arena rather than the smaller Kia Arena

The concluding rounds will take place in a nighttime schedule instead of early afternoon

Entry Requirements

Domestic competitors - or overseas competitors who have registered with the national federation - can compete in '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 geographic division picked to compete in the 'final competition' in a night session on mid-January

There will also be a preliminary competition in the final month which everyday players, developing professionals, famous personalities and athletic celebrities can compete in

It begins on the starting date and the pair of champions will qualify for Wednesday's 'championship match' with the remaining non-professionals and elite competitors

"Regardless of your skill level, the final champion will receive the award. Applications will open soon at facilities across the country"

Tournament officials stated there were "additional stars to be unveiled imminently", while the tournament site mentioned "well-known figures" would be taking part