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Recreational competitors are getting the possibility to win a seven-figure prize when they face world-class athletes - headed by world number one the Spanish champion - in a winner-takes-all point leading up to the year's first major

Event planners of the Australian Open have revealed the Million Dollar One Point Slam, which will match 10 amateur players against elite athletes in a knockout tournament at Melbourne Park

The Unique Competition Operates

Participants must play 'rock, paper, scissors' to determine who takes the serve or return position, and the player who wins the point will progress to the following stage

The winner of the event will take home a significant cash prize

For comparison, players who advanced to the semi-finals of the primary tournaments in the previous year's tournament won A$1.1m

Earlier Related Competitions

The New York major staged a revamped, standalone combined gender tournament in late summer which motivated top singles players to take part, with the champions receiving $1m

The Melbourne tournament held its first-ever One Point Slam in the current season, but the total purse was A$60,000 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 permitted into the mesh in his quarter-final

Event Specifics

Organizers have not said exactly how the event will function, but it is anticipated to mirror a akin setup to the previous version

The professionals will be permitted to make one service and the non-professionals twice - as is the usual procedure in standard play

While it is not certain how the pairings will work, there will be several competitive phases and the venue will be the main stadium rather than the alternative court

The concluding rounds will be held in a evening slot instead of midday timing

Competitor Requirements

Domestic competitors - or international players who have enrolled with the governing body - can compete in 'One Point Slam' events at their local tennis clubs

The winners of the grassroots tournaments will then go into a random pairing, with an everyday competitor from every geographic division picked to compete in the 'championship round' in a evening match on Wednesday, 14 January

There will also be a entry tournament in late year which non-professionals, aspiring competitors, well-known figures and athletic celebrities can compete in

It begins on Monday, 12 January and the pair of champions will go into the midweek 'final showdown' with the additional everyday players and top-ranked athletes

"Whether you're an amateur or a pro, the final champion will receive the award. Registrations will open soon at venues across the country"

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