World No 1 Carlos Alcaraz will face tennis amateurs and top professionals in an extraordinary single-point event before the 2026 Australian Open in January – with A$1m the prize for the winner.
The ‘Million Dollar One Point Slam’ will see 10 amateur tennis players, picked from clubs across Australia, face 22 professionals in a knockout tournament in Melbourne, with just one point deciding who progresses.
Players will start the match with the popular hand game “rock, paper, scissors” to determine who serves or receives. At this year’s ‘One Point Slam’ event, professionals were only allowed one serve, while amateurs could serve twice. It has not been confirmed whether the 2026 event will repeat this rule.
But the winner of the whole event will win an astonishing £490,000 (A$1m) – a massive increase on the prize fund of £29,400 (A$60,000) for the 2025 event, won by Australian professional Omar Jasika.
The event will take place in qualifying week, before the main draw of the first Grand Slam of the year, in what is a similar slot to the new-look mixed doubles event at the US Open a few months ago, which also had a $1m prize for the winners.
“I can reveal today that World No.1 Carlos Alcaraz will headline the pro player line-up in the Million Dollar 1 Point Slam – a thrilling new initiative where one point could win you $1 million,” said Australian Open tournament director Craig Tiley.
“Whether you’re an amateur or a pro, the ultimate winner will walk away with the prize. Entries will open soon at clubs across the country, and during Opening Week, finalists will compete for a chance to face the pros on Rod Laver Arena.
“With more big names to be announced soon, you now have a million reasons to pick up a racquet and get ready for January.”
At the 2025 event, which took place in the smaller-capacity Kia Arena, Andrey Rublev was the only top-10 player who took part in the ‘One Point Slam’ and was eliminated in the quarter-finals, when he served into the net.
Next year, Melbourne Park will host the five knockout rounds, which start on Monday 12 January, and the final stages will be held in a night session on Rod Laver Arena on Wednesday 14 January.
Any Australian amateurs, or international players who have registered with Tennis Australia, can enter at their local tennis club. The winners of the grassroots events then go into the draw, with an amateur player from each state and territory participating.
Qualifying draws will also take place in December, which celebrities, amateurs and lower-ranked professionals can all enter.
