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Everyday tennis enthusiasts will have the possibility to earn A$1m when they face elite players - including leading player the Spanish champion - in a one-point battle leading up to January's Australian Open

Event planners of the Melbourne major have unveiled the Million Dollar One Point Slam, which will pair a dozen non-professionals against elite athletes in a single-elimination format at Melbourne Park

This Innovative Event Will Work

Competitors are set to play 'the classic hand game' to establish who takes the serve or return position, and the competitor securing the point will move forward to the subsequent phase

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

By comparison, players who made it to the final four of the men's or women's singles in the previous year's tournament won A$1.1m

Previous Similar Events

The American Grand Slam hosted a restructured, separate mixed doubles tournament in late summer which encouraged top singles players to compete, with the champions receiving one million US dollars

The Australian Open held its debut quick-fire event in the current season, but the prize fund was a smaller amount and it received minimal attention

Andrey Rublev was the single high-ranked athlete competing, and his campaign concluded when he sent the sole serving chance allowed into the net in his quarter-final

Competition Specifics

Organizers have not said exactly how the event will function, but it is expected to emulate a similar format to this year's edition

The professionals will be allowed to make one service and the amateurs two times - as is the usual procedure in conventional tennis

While it is uncertain how the bracket will work, there will be several competitive phases and the location will be the main stadium rather than the smaller Kia Arena

The concluding rounds will be held in a night session instead of early afternoon

Competitor Requirements

Local players - or foreign participants who have enrolled with the governing body - can compete in 'quick-match event' events at their neighborhood facilities

The champions of the local competitions will then go into a selection process, with a single non-professional from every region and area chosen to participate in the 'grand finale' in a night session on Wednesday, 14 January

There will also be a preliminary competition in late year which non-professionals, lower ranked pros, famous personalities and sport stars can enter

It begins on the starting date and the successful competitors will advance to Wednesday's 'grand finale' with the remaining non-professionals and 10 professionals

"No matter your experience, the overall victor will receive the award. Registrations will begin shortly at facilities across the country"

Competition planners stated there were "additional stars to be announced soon", while the official website said "famous personalities" would be taking part