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Amateur players will have the possibility to claim A$1m when they take on elite players - featuring top-ranked the Spanish champion - in a single-point showdown leading up to January's Australian Open

Tournament officials of the year's first Grand Slam have unveiled the Seven-Figure Quick-Fire Competition, which will pair 10 amateur players against elite athletes in a single-elimination format at Melbourne Park

This Innovative Event Will Work

Competitors are set to play 'the classic hand game' to establish who serves or receives, and the competitor securing the point will advance to the following stage

The winner of the event will take home approximately half a million pounds

By comparison, players who reached the final four of the primary tournaments in the previous year's tournament won substantial prize money

Earlier Comparable Tournaments

The New York major organized a revamped, independent combined gender tournament in August which prompted top singles players to compete, with the champions receiving a million-dollar prize

The Australian Open held its inaugural quick-fire event earlier this year, but the cash prize was A$60,000 and it had limited exposure

One top competitor was the sole elite competitor participating, and his progress came to an end when he put the one and only serve granted into the net in his last eight match

Tournament Details

Organizers have not detailed exactly how the event will function, but it is expected to mirror a comparable structure to the most recent iteration

The elite players will be permitted to have a single serve and the everyday players twice - as is the usual procedure in conventional tennis

While it is uncertain how the draw will work, there will be several competitive phases and the venue will be the Rod Laver Arena rather than the secondary venue

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

Competitor Requirements

Domestic competitors - or overseas competitors who have registered with the governing body - can enter 'quick-match event' events at their local tennis clubs

The winners of the community events will then go into a random pairing, with one amateur player from every geographic division picked to compete in the 'grand finale' in a evening match on Wednesday, 14 January

There will also be a preliminary competition in the final month which non-professionals, developing professionals, celebrities and sport stars can compete in

It starts on early January and the pair of champions will qualify for the midweek 'grand finale' with the remaining non-professionals and top-ranked athletes

"No matter your experience, the ultimate winner will walk away with the prize. Applications will start imminently at clubs across the country"

Competition planners stated there were "more big names to be announced soon", while the official website indicated "celebrities" would be taking part