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Everyday tennis enthusiasts will have the possibility to earn a seven-figure prize when they take on tennis' top professionals - headed by top-ranked the Spanish champion - in a single-point showdown leading up to the year's first major

Event planners of the Australian Open have revealed the Seven-Figure Quick-Fire Competition, which will match a dozen non-professionals against top-ranked players in a elimination competition at the Australian Open venue

This Innovative Competition Operates

Participants must play 'the classic hand game' to determine who takes the serve or return position, and whoever wins the point will advance to the subsequent phase

The victor of the event will receive approximately half a million pounds

Contextually, players who advanced to the penultimate round of the main draw competitions in the previous year's tournament won A$1.1m

Previous Related Competitions

The New York major organized a restructured, standalone mixed doubles tournament in August which motivated top singles players to participate, with the winners receiving a million-dollar prize

The Melbourne tournament held its first-ever quick-fire event earlier this year, but the prize fund was a smaller amount and it had limited exposure

One top competitor was the single high-ranked athlete involved, and his campaign finished when he directed the one and only serve permitted failing to clear the net in his last eight match

Competition Specifics

Organizers have not specified precisely how the event will operate, but it is projected to mirror a similar format to the previous version

The professionals will be granted to serve once and the non-professionals on two occasions - as is the usual procedure in standard play

While it is not certain how the pairings will work, there will be multiple elimination stages and the site will be the Rod Laver Arena rather than the alternative court

The last matches will occur in a night session instead of 1pm local time

Participation Information

Local players - or international players who have signed up with Tennis Australia - can compete in 'single-point competition' competitions at their neighborhood facilities

The victors of the community events will then go into a selection process, with an everyday competitor from every geographic division chosen to take part in the 'championship round' in a evening match on the specified date

There will also be a preliminary competition in late year which everyday players, aspiring competitors, well-known figures and sports personalities can enter

It commences on Monday, 12 January and the pair of champions will go into the following day's 'final showdown' with the other eight amateurs and 10 professionals

"No matter your experience, the ultimate winner will receive the prize. Entries will open soon at facilities throughout the nation"

Event organizers stated there were "additional stars to be unveiled imminently", while the tournament site said "well-known figures" would be taking part