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Recreational competitors are being offered the chance to earn one million Australian dollars when they face tennis' top professionals - headed by world number one the Spanish champion - in a one-point battle before the year's first major

Tournament officials of the year's first Grand Slam have announced the $1 Million Single-Point Tournament, which will match a dozen non-professionals against top-ranked players in a single-elimination format at the tournament grounds

This Innovative Tournament Functions

Players will play 'rock, paper, scissors' to decide who gets to serve or return, and whoever wins the point will progress to the next round

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

Contextually, players who advanced to the final four of the men's or women's singles in the previous year's tournament won A$1.1m

Past Related Competitions

The American Grand Slam staged a revamped, separate combined gender tournament in late summer which prompted top singles players to take part, with the victors receiving $1m

The Australian Open held its first-ever quick-fire event earlier this year, but the cash prize was a smaller amount and it generated little publicity

The Russian player was the sole elite competitor participating, and his progress finished when he put the single service opportunity permitted failing to clear the net in his last eight match

Competition Details

Organizers have not detailed exactly how the event will function, but it is anticipated to emulate a comparable structure to this year's edition

The elite players will be permitted to serve once and the non-professionals on two occasions - as is the norm in standard play

While it is not certain how the pairings will work, there will be five knockout rounds and the venue will be the primary court rather than the smaller Kia Arena

The concluding rounds will be held in a nighttime schedule instead of early afternoon

Entry Information

Local players - or foreign participants who have enrolled with the national federation - can compete in 'single-point competition' events at their neighborhood facilities

The winners of the local competitions will then go into a random pairing, with one amateur player from every region and area selected to compete in the 'grand finale' in a evening match on Wednesday, 14 January

There will also be a qualifying draw in the final month which everyday players, lower ranked pros, celebrities and sports personalities can compete in

It begins on the starting date and the successful competitors will advance to Wednesday's 'grand finale' with the other eight amateurs and top-ranked athletes

"Regardless of your skill level, the ultimate winner will walk away with the reward. Applications will begin shortly at clubs across the country"

Tournament officials stated there were "more big names to be unveiled imminently", while the event portal mentioned "famous personalities" would be participating