Carlos Alcaraz, Coco Gauff, Naomi Osaka and Jannik Sinner are among the players confirmed for the Australian Open’s 1 Point Slam in January, an exhibition in which every match lasts a single point and the winner takes one million Australian dollars.
How does it work?
A knockout bracket where each match is decided by one point. Men and women, professionals, amateur qualifiers and wild cards all compete in the same draw, which means a club player can eliminate a Grand Slam champion in the time it takes to play a rally. The final is at Rod Laver Arena on Jan. 13, ahead of the main tournament from Jan. 17 to 31.
What is the prize?
One million Australian dollars, roughly $700,000. That is a substantial sum for a professional and a life changing one for an amateur, which is the point of the format.
Has an amateur actually won?
Yes, last January. A little known local player beat Sinner on his way through the draw and won the event on the third stroke of the final, when his opponent sent a backhand wide. That opponent was a professional ranked 117th in the world. The result is the strongest argument for the format, since a single point compresses the gap between the best player in the world and someone who plays at a club.
Why would top players enter?
Low cost, high exposure. A single point requires no physical preparation and carries no ranking consequence, and the event happens in the week before a Grand Slam when players are already in Melbourne acclimatising. Losing to an amateur costs a professional nothing beyond a clip that circulates.
Who qualifies?
Players coming through events at clubs and tennis communities across Australia, with two further days of qualifying during the opening week. Organisers describe the intent as connecting the tournament more deeply to the country’s tennis communities, and the qualifying structure is the mechanism for that.
Is it a serious competition?
No, and it is not pretending to be. Celebrities have featured, with one pop star eliminated without touching a ball after facing an ace. The 1 Point Slam is an exhibition built for a single viral moment per match, and judged on that basis it works.
What else is changing?
Capacity and comfort. More than 1.3 million people attended the 2026 tournament, and organisers plan to increase viewing capacity and seating and to add shade across the Melbourne Park site. The shade element matters more than it sounds, given January temperatures in Melbourne and the heat policies the tournament has had to introduce in recent years.
When is it?
The final on Jan. 13, with the Australian Open itself running Jan. 17 to 31.
