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Amateur players will have an opportunity to win A$1m when they take on tennis' top professionals - including world number one the Spanish champion - in a single-point showdown prior to the year's first major

Tournament officials of the Melbourne major have unveiled the $1 Million Single-Point Tournament, which will match everyday competitors against 22 professionals in a single-elimination format at the tournament grounds

The Unique Tournament Functions

Players will play 'the classic hand game' to establish who serves or receives, and whoever wins the point will advance to the following stage

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

Contextually, players who reached the semi-finals of the primary tournaments in the previous year's tournament won substantial prize money

Earlier Comparable Tournaments

The US Open hosted a revamped, independent mixed doubles tournament in late summer which prompted top singles players to participate, with the victors receiving a million-dollar prize

The year's first major held its inaugural One Point Slam in the current season, but the prize fund was a smaller amount and it received minimal attention

One top competitor was the single high-ranked athlete competing, and his run finished when he sent the single service opportunity granted into the mesh in his penultimate round

Event Information

Officials have not specified precisely how the event will work, but it is projected to mirror a similar format to this year's edition

The elite players will be permitted to make one service and the non-professionals 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 venue will be the Rod Laver Arena rather than the secondary venue

The last matches will be held in a nighttime schedule instead of early afternoon

Competitor Information

Any Australians - or overseas competitors who have signed up with the governing body - can compete in 'quick-match event' competitions at their community centers

The victors of the community events will then go into a draw, with one amateur player from every geographic division selected to compete in the 'grand finale' in a evening match on mid-January

There will also be a qualifying draw in the final month which amateurs, aspiring competitors, famous personalities and sport stars can participate in

It begins on Monday, 12 January and the two winners will go into Wednesday's 'final showdown' with the remaining non-professionals and elite competitors

"No matter your experience, the overall victor will receive the reward. Registrations will open soon at facilities across the country"

Event organizers said there were "additional stars to be revealed shortly", while the official website indicated "famous personalities" would be involved