Amateur players' chance to win $1m against pros returns to Australian Open

In short:

Australian Open's 1 Point Slam, where amateurs compete against professionals for a $1 million prize, will continue next year.

Amateur Jordan Smith won the cash prize last year, defeating pros Jannik Sinner and Joanna Garland in the knockout tournament where every match lasts one point.

What's next?

The 2027 1 Point Slam final will see the pros competing against amateurs and wild cards for the prize at Rod Laver Arena on January 13.

The Australian Open's 1 Point Slam will again have some star power in January with Carlos Alcaraz, Coco Gauff, Naomi Osaka and Jannik Sinner among the players set to compete against pros and amateur qualifiers for a $1 million prize.

At the Australian Open launch today, organisers said qualifying events for the 1 Point Slam are underway at clubs across the country, and a further two days of qualifying will be held during opening week ahead of the first grand slam tournament of the year from January 17 to 31.

The 1 Point Slam final will see the pros competing against amateurs and wild cards for the prize at Rod Laver Arena on January 13.

Jordan Smith, a little-known local amateur player, beat Sinner and went on to make himself a millionaire after winning the 1 Point Slam last January.

Smith won on the third stroke of the final when Joanna Garland, the women's number 117 from Taiwan, sent a two-handed backhand wide.

All the matches lasted just one single point in a knockout bracket that included men and women, professionals and amateurs, plus celebrities such as Taiwanese pop star Jay Chou, who was knocked out without hitting a ball after an ace from Petar Jovic.

"At the heart of the creation of the 1 Point Slam is our desire to even more deeply connect the Australian Open to every tennis community in the country," Andrew Abdo, Tennis Australia's new chief executive, said.

More than 1.3 million fans attended the 2026 Australian Open, and organisers are planning to increase viewing capacity, seating and offer more shade across the Melbourne Park precinct next year.

AP

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