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Recreational competitors will have an opportunity to earn a seven-figure prize when they face tennis' top professionals - including world number one the Spanish champion - in a winner-takes-all point before the year's first major

Event planners of the Melbourne major have announced the $1 Million Single-Point Tournament, which will pit everyday competitors against top-ranked players in a knockout tournament at Melbourne Park

The Unique Tournament Functions

Participants must play 'the decision-making game' to determine who gets to serve or return, and the player who wins the point will advance to the subsequent phase

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

Contextually, players who made it to the penultimate round of the main draw competitions in the last edition won over a million Australian dollars

Previous Related Competitions

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

The year's first major held its first-ever quick-fire event this year, but the total purse was A$60,000 and it had limited exposure

One top competitor was the single high-ranked athlete participating, and his campaign finished when he sent the one and only serve allowed into the net in his penultimate round

Tournament Details

Planners have not detailed exactly how the event will operate, but it is expected to mirror a similar format to this year's edition

The elite players will be permitted to have a single serve and the non-professionals twice - as is the standard practice in conventional tennis

While it is not certain how the draw will work, there will be multiple elimination stages and the site will be the main stadium rather than the smaller Kia Arena

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

Participation Information

Local players - or overseas competitors who have enrolled with the national federation - can compete in 'quick-match event' events at their local tennis clubs

The winners of the grassroots tournaments will then go into a selection process, with an everyday competitor from every region and area selected to participate in the 'championship round' in a night session on Wednesday, 14 January

There will also be a entry tournament in the final month which everyday players, lower ranked pros, famous personalities and sport stars can enter

It begins on Monday, 12 January and the pair of champions will go into the following day's 'final showdown' with the remaining non-professionals and 10 professionals

"Whether you're an amateur or a pro, the overall victor will claim the prize. Applications will start imminently at venues nationwide"

Competition planners mentioned there were "additional stars to be unveiled imminently", while the event portal indicated "famous personalities" would be involved