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Recreational competitors are getting the possibility to win one million Australian dollars when they face tennis' top professionals - featuring world number one the Spanish champion - in a winner-takes-all point prior 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 22 professionals in a knockout tournament at the tournament grounds

How the Tournament Functions

Players will play 'the decision-making game' to determine who serves or receives, and whoever wins the point will progress to the following stage

The victor of the event will earn £490,000

By comparison, players who made it to the penultimate round of the primary tournaments in the previous year's tournament won substantial prize money

Past Similar Events

The American Grand Slam hosted a restructured, independent combined gender tournament in August which encouraged top singles players to compete, with the victors receiving one million US dollars

The year's first major held its inaugural One Point Slam earlier this year, but the cash prize was a smaller amount and it received minimal attention

The Russian player was the single high-ranked athlete involved, and his campaign concluded when he sent the single service opportunity permitted into the mesh in his penultimate round

Competition Information

Officials have not specified precisely how the event will work, but it is anticipated to emulate a akin setup to the previous version

The professionals will be granted to have a single serve and the everyday players twice - as is the usual procedure in standard play

While it is unclear how the bracket will work, there will be multiple elimination stages and the location will be the Rod Laver Arena rather than the secondary venue

The concluding rounds will be held in a nighttime schedule instead of midday timing

Competitor Details

Local players - or foreign participants who have signed up with Tennis Australia - can compete in 'quick-match event' events at their community centers

The champions of the community events will then go into a draw, with one amateur player from every state and territory chosen to compete in the 'grand finale' in a night session on Wednesday, 14 January

There will also be a entry tournament in December which everyday players, lower ranked pros, well-known figures and sports personalities can compete in

It commences on the starting date and the pair of champions will go into the following day's 'grand finale' with the additional everyday players and 10 professionals

"Whether you're an amateur or a pro, the ultimate winner will walk away with the prize. Registrations will begin shortly at facilities across the country"

Competition planners mentioned there were "more big names to be unveiled imminently", while the event portal mentioned "celebrities" would be involved