Alcaraz to Face Non-Professionals in $1 Million Winner-Takes-All Event

Amateur players are being offered the possibility to earn a seven-figure prize when they take on world-class athletes - headed by leading player the Spanish champion - in a winner-takes-all point before January's Australian Open

Tournament officials of the Australian Open have unveiled the Seven-Figure Quick-Fire Competition, which will match 10 amateur players against elite athletes in a knockout tournament at the Australian Open venue

This Innovative Event Will Work

Participants must play 'the decision-making game' to decide who takes the serve or return position, and the competitor securing the point will progress to the next round

The champion of the event will receive £490,000

For comparison, players who reached the final four of the primary tournaments in the previous year's tournament won substantial prize money

Previous Related Competitions

The American Grand Slam staged a redesigned, standalone mixed doubles tournament in the eighth month which motivated top singles players to participate, with the winners receiving a million-dollar prize

The Australian Open held its first-ever quick-fire event earlier this year, but the total purse was sixty thousand Australian dollars and it generated little publicity

One top competitor was the sole elite competitor involved, and his run concluded when he sent the one and only serve allowed failing to clear the net in his last eight match

Competition Information

Organizers have not specified precisely how the event will function, but it is expected to mirror a comparable structure to this year's edition

The top competitors will be permitted to serve once and the non-professionals twice - as is the norm in traditional tennis

While it is not certain how the pairings will work, there will be five knockout rounds and the location will be the main stadium rather than the smaller Kia Arena

The last matches will take place in a evening slot instead of early afternoon

Competitor Details

Any Australians - or overseas competitors who have signed up with Tennis Australia - can enter 'quick-match event' tournaments at their local tennis clubs

The victors of the local competitions will then go into a random pairing, with an everyday competitor from every region and area selected to compete in the 'grand finale' in a evening match on mid-January

There will also be a preliminary competition in December which amateurs, aspiring competitors, celebrities and sport stars can enter

It starts on early January and the two winners will advance to Wednesday's 'final showdown' with the remaining non-professionals and 10 professionals

"Regardless of your skill level, the final champion will walk away with the award. Applications will begin shortly at venues throughout the nation"

Competition planners said there were "additional stars to be unveiled imminently", while the official website indicated "well-known figures" would be taking part