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Everyday tennis enthusiasts are being offered the chance to claim a seven-figure prize when they face world-class athletes - featuring top-ranked the Spanish champion - in a one-point battle before January's Australian Open

Event planners of the Melbourne major have announced the Seven-Figure Quick-Fire Competition, which will pair 10 amateur players against 22 professionals in a knockout tournament at the tournament grounds

This Innovative Competition Operates

Players will play 'rock, paper, scissors' to determine who gets to serve or return, and the player who wins the point will move forward to the following stage

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

Contextually, players who reached the final four of the main draw competitions in the 2025 Australian Open won A$1.1m

Previous Similar Events

The American Grand Slam hosted a redesigned, separate combined gender tournament in late summer which motivated top singles players to compete, with the winners receiving $1m

The Australian Open held its debut quick-fire event in the current season, but the cash prize was sixty thousand Australian dollars and it had limited exposure

One top competitor was the only top-10 player involved, and his run came to an end when he directed the one and only serve granted into the mesh in his quarter-final

Competition Specifics

Planners have not specified precisely how the event will function, but it is projected to follow a akin setup to this year's edition

The elite players will be permitted to have a single serve and the amateurs twice - as is the norm in standard play

While it is uncertain how the bracket will work, there will be several competitive phases and the location will be the main stadium rather than the secondary venue

The concluding rounds will take place in a night session instead of early afternoon

Participation Requirements

Local players - or overseas competitors who have signed up with the national federation - can participate in 'single-point competition' competitions at their neighborhood facilities

The champions of the grassroots tournaments will then go into a random pairing, with a single non-professional from every geographic division chosen to participate in the 'final competition' in a evening match on mid-January

There will also be a qualifying draw in the final month which amateurs, lower ranked pros, famous personalities and sport stars can enter

It commences on the starting date and the two winners will go into the following day's 'championship match' with the other eight amateurs and elite competitors

"Regardless of your skill level, the final champion will claim the prize. Registrations will open soon at clubs throughout the nation"

Tournament officials stated there were "more big names to be announced soon", while the tournament site mentioned "well-known figures" would be taking part