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Everyday tennis enthusiasts will have the possibility to win a seven-figure prize when they face elite players - headed by top-ranked Carlos Alcaraz - in a one-point battle before the year's first major

Event planners of the year's first Grand Slam have revealed the Seven-Figure Quick-Fire Competition, which will match 10 amateur players against top-ranked players in a elimination competition at Melbourne Park

How the Competition Operates

Players will play 'the classic hand game' to decide who serves or receives, and the player who wins the point will advance to the next round

The victor of the event will earn £490,000

For comparison, players who advanced to the final four of the men's or women's singles in the previous year's tournament won over a million Australian dollars

Earlier Related Competitions

The New York major organized a redesigned, separate mixed doubles tournament in late summer which prompted top singles players to compete, with the winners receiving a million-dollar prize

The Melbourne tournament held its first-ever quick-fire event this year, but the prize fund was A$60,000 and it had limited exposure

Andrey Rublev was the only top-10 player involved, and his run finished when he directed the sole serving chance permitted into the mesh in his penultimate round

Tournament Information

Planners have not said exactly how the event will operate, but it is projected to mirror a comparable structure to the most recent iteration

The top competitors will be permitted to make one service and the non-professionals twice - as is the norm in standard play

While it is not certain how the pairings will work, there will be several competitive phases and the site will be the primary court rather than the secondary venue

The final stages will be held in a night session instead of midday timing

Competitor Requirements

Domestic competitors - or overseas competitors who have enrolled with Tennis Australia - can participate in 'quick-match event' tournaments at their community centers

The winners of the local competitions will then go into a selection process, with a single non-professional from every geographic division chosen to participate in the 'grand finale' in a night session on mid-January

There will also be a qualifying draw in December which everyday players, aspiring competitors, famous personalities and sports personalities can participate in

It commences on early January and the two winners will qualify for the following day's 'championship match' with the remaining non-professionals and top-ranked athletes

"Regardless of your skill level, the final champion will walk away with the reward. Applications will open soon at clubs nationwide"

Competition planners said there were "additional stars to be revealed shortly", while the official website said "famous personalities" would be taking part