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Everyday tennis enthusiasts are being offered an opportunity to earn one million Australian dollars when they compete against world-class athletes - including leading player the Spanish champion - in a single-point showdown leading up to the Australian Grand Slam

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

The Unique Event Will Work

Players will play 'the classic hand game' to decide who takes the serve or return position, and whoever wins the point will move forward to the next round

The champion of the event will take home approximately half a million pounds

Contextually, players who advanced to the semi-finals of the men's or women's singles in the previous year's tournament won over a million Australian dollars

Past Comparable Tournaments

The New York major organized a revamped, standalone mixed doubles tournament in the eighth month which motivated top singles players to take part, with the victors receiving $1m

The Melbourne tournament held its first-ever single-point competition this year, but the cash prize was A$60,000 and it had limited exposure

The Russian player was the single high-ranked athlete competing, and his progress finished when he directed the one and only serve allowed failing to clear the net in his quarter-final

Tournament Details

Organizers have not specified precisely how the event will work, but it is projected to emulate a comparable structure to the previous version

The top competitors will be allowed to have a single serve and the everyday players twice - as is the standard practice in standard play

While it is uncertain how the draw will work, there will be multiple elimination stages and the location will be the Rod Laver Arena rather than the alternative court

The final stages will occur in a evening slot instead of early afternoon

Entry Requirements

Local players - or overseas competitors who have enrolled with the governing body - can compete in 'quick-match event' competitions at their local tennis clubs

The victors of the local competitions will then go into a random pairing, with a single non-professional from every state and territory chosen to compete in the 'grand finale' in a night session on mid-January

There will also be a qualifying draw in December which non-professionals, aspiring competitors, famous personalities and athletic celebrities can compete in

It begins on Monday, 12 January and the pair of champions will advance to the following day's 'grand finale' with the other eight amateurs and top-ranked athletes

"No matter your experience, the overall victor will claim the reward. Applications will start imminently at facilities throughout the nation"

Tournament officials stated there were "further celebrities to be revealed shortly", while the official website mentioned "celebrities" would be participating