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Amateur players are getting an opportunity to earn A$1m when they take on elite players - featuring world number one Carlos Alcaraz - in a winner-takes-all point before January's Australian Open

Event planners of the Australian Open have revealed the Seven-Figure Quick-Fire Competition, which will pit 10 amateur players against elite athletes in a single-elimination format at Melbourne Park

This Innovative Tournament Functions

Competitors are set to play 'the decision-making game' to decide who serves or receives, and the competitor securing the point will progress to the subsequent phase

The victor of the event will earn a significant cash prize

By comparison, players who reached the semi-finals of the primary tournaments in the last edition won over a million Australian dollars

Previous Similar Events

The New York major staged a restructured, standalone combined gender tournament in August which motivated top singles players to participate, with the champions receiving a million-dollar prize

The year's first major held its inaugural quick-fire event in the current season, but the cash prize was sixty thousand Australian dollars and it generated little publicity

One top competitor was the single high-ranked athlete involved, and his campaign came to an end when he directed the sole serving chance allowed into the net in his penultimate round

Tournament Specifics

Planners have not said exactly how the event will operate, but it is anticipated to emulate a similar format to the previous version

The professionals will be allowed to serve once and the amateurs twice - as is the usual procedure in traditional tennis

While it is uncertain how the bracket will work, there will be multiple elimination stages and the site will be the main stadium rather than the alternative court

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

Competitor Requirements

Domestic competitors - or international players who have registered with the national federation - can compete in 'single-point competition' tournaments at their community centers

The winners of the community events will then go into a random pairing, with a single non-professional from every state and territory selected to participate in the 'championship round' in a night session on Wednesday, 14 January

There will also be a entry tournament in late year which amateurs, lower ranked pros, well-known figures and sport stars can participate in

It begins on the starting date and the pair of champions will qualify for Wednesday's 'grand finale' with the remaining non-professionals and top-ranked athletes

"Regardless of your skill level, the overall victor will claim the prize. Applications will begin shortly at clubs throughout the nation"

Competition planners mentioned there were "additional stars to be revealed shortly", while the official website mentioned "celebrities" would be participating