🔗 Share this article

Recreational competitors are being offered an opportunity to earn one million Australian dollars when they take on tennis' top professionals - featuring top-ranked the Spanish champion - in a winner-takes-all point leading up to the year's first major

Tournament officials of the Melbourne major have announced the Seven-Figure Quick-Fire Competition, which will pit a dozen non-professionals against top-ranked players in a single-elimination format at the Australian Open venue

The Unique Event Will Work

Players will play 'the decision-making game' to establish who takes the serve or return position, and the competitor securing the point will advance to the next round

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

For comparison, players who reached the semi-finals of the primary tournaments in the 2025 Australian Open won substantial prize money

Previous Comparable Tournaments

The New York major hosted a redesigned, independent mixed doubles tournament in late summer which prompted top singles players to participate, with the champions receiving one million US dollars

The year's first major held its first-ever single-point competition in the current season, but the prize fund was A$60,000 and it had limited exposure

One top competitor was the single high-ranked athlete competing, and his progress finished when he sent the sole serving chance permitted failing to clear the net in his last eight match

Event Specifics

Organizers have not specified precisely how the event will operate, but it is expected to mirror a akin setup to this year's edition

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

While it is not certain how the draw will work, there will be several competitive phases and the site will be the primary court rather than the alternative court

The concluding rounds will take place in a night session instead of 1pm local time

Participation Details

Any Australians - or international players who have signed up with Tennis Australia - can participate in 'single-point competition' competitions at their local tennis clubs

The winners of the grassroots tournaments will then go into a draw, with an everyday competitor from every region and area picked to take part in the 'grand finale' in a nighttime event on Wednesday, 14 January

There will also be a preliminary competition in December which everyday players, lower ranked pros, famous personalities and athletic celebrities can enter

It starts on early January and the successful competitors will go into the following day's 'championship match' with the remaining non-professionals and top-ranked athletes

"Whether you're an amateur or a pro, the overall victor will claim the prize. Entries will begin shortly at venues across the country"

Tournament officials stated there were "further celebrities to be revealed shortly", while the event portal indicated "celebrities" would be participating