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Recreational competitors will have the possibility to earn a seven-figure prize when they face tennis' top professionals - featuring leading player Carlos Alcaraz - in a single-point showdown before the year's first major

Organizers of the Melbourne major have unveiled the Seven-Figure Quick-Fire Competition, which will pit everyday competitors against elite athletes in a knockout tournament at Melbourne Park

This Innovative Tournament Functions

Participants must play 'rock, paper, scissors' to establish who serves or receives, and the player who wins the point will progress to the following stage

The champion of the event will receive a significant cash prize

By comparison, players who reached the final four of the men's or women's singles in the previous year's tournament won substantial prize money

Past Related Competitions

The US Open organized a restructured, standalone mixed doubles tournament in the eighth month which prompted top singles players to participate, with the victors receiving a million-dollar prize

The Australian Open held its inaugural single-point competition earlier this year, but the total purse was A$60,000 and it generated little publicity

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

Tournament Information

Officials have not specified precisely how the event will work, but it is projected to emulate a similar format to this year's edition

The professionals will be granted to serve once and the everyday players on two occasions - as is the usual procedure in traditional tennis

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

The concluding rounds will be held in a evening slot instead of 1pm local time

Entry Requirements

Any Australians - or foreign participants who have registered with Tennis Australia - can participate in 'quick-match event' competitions at their local tennis clubs

The champions of the community events 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 night session on mid-January

There will also be a preliminary competition in December which amateurs, developing professionals, famous personalities and sports personalities can participate in

It commences on early January and the two winners will advance to the midweek 'final showdown' with the other eight amateurs and 10 professionals

"Regardless of your skill level, the ultimate winner will walk away with the reward. Registrations will start imminently at facilities throughout the nation"

Event organizers stated there were "further celebrities to be unveiled imminently", while the tournament site mentioned "celebrities" would be involved