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Amateur players will have the possibility to claim a seven-figure prize when they take on elite players - headed by leading player the Spanish champion - in a single-point showdown leading up to the year's first major

Organizers of the year's first Grand Slam have revealed the Million Dollar One Point Slam, which will pit a dozen non-professionals against 22 professionals in a single-elimination format at the Australian Open venue

This Innovative Competition Operates

Participants must play 'rock, paper, scissors' to decide who takes the serve or return position, and whoever wins the point will move forward to the following stage

The champion of the event will take home 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 over a million Australian dollars

Previous Related Competitions

The US Open hosted a redesigned, standalone mixed doubles tournament in the eighth month which motivated top singles players to participate, with the champions receiving $1m

The Australian Open held its first-ever quick-fire event this year, but the total purse was sixty thousand Australian dollars and it generated little publicity

One top competitor was the sole elite competitor involved, and his campaign finished when he sent the single service opportunity granted failing to clear the net in his quarter-final

Event Specifics

Planners have not said exactly how the event will operate, but it is expected to emulate a akin setup to this year's edition

The professionals will be allowed to have a single serve and the everyday players twice - as is the usual procedure in standard play

While it is not certain how the draw will work, there will be multiple elimination stages and the site will be the primary court rather than the alternative court

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

Entry Requirements

Any Australians - or international players who have enrolled with the governing body - can compete in 'quick-match event' events at their community centers

The champions of the grassroots tournaments will then go into a random pairing, with one amateur player from every region and area selected to take part in the 'grand finale' in a night session on mid-January

There will also be a entry tournament in December which everyday players, developing professionals, well-known figures and athletic celebrities can participate in

It begins on the starting date and the pair of champions will advance to the midweek 'grand finale' with the remaining non-professionals and top-ranked athletes

"No matter your experience, the overall victor will receive the award. Applications will open soon at venues across the country"

Tournament officials said there were "further celebrities to be revealed shortly", while the tournament site mentioned "well-known figures" would be involved