For years, tennis purists have worshipped the grind—the endless rallies, the five-set marathons, and the slow, psychological unraveling of opponents under pressure. But what happens when the entire fate of a match comes down to just one point?

Yes, you heard that right! Tennis has always evolved in subtle ways—from wooden rackets to Hawkeye technology. But now it seems the change of formats is becoming the new trend. First, there was a revamped star-studded US Open mixed doubles event, and now we’re going to witness the million-dollar ‘One-Point’ Slam at the 2026 Australian Open.

What is ‘One Point’ Slam?

Well, the “world-first Million Dollar 1 Point Slam” will see 22 tennis professionals compete against 10 amateurs from Australia for their chance to win A$1 million (around $659,000). This hefty prize money is just short of A$1.1 million awarded to players who reached the SF of the men’s or women’s singles main draw events in the 2025 AO.

The exhibition event will take place during the AO Opening Week that runs from January 12 to 17, with the singles main draw being staged from January 18 until February 1. If we take a look at the past record, previously, the week before the singles draw used to be reserved for the charity matches and open practice sessions, but now it will be a full package of entertainment with this “one-point” challenge.

Talking more about this exhibition event, it will be more like a regular knockout draw featuring 32 players. The server and receiver will be determined through the “rock, paper, scissors” hand game, and they’ll then play for one point only. Hence, whoever wins the point will win the match as well and progress to the next round. 

As per reports, there will be five knockout rounds, and the final stages will take place during a night session instead of at 1 pm local time. The last player standing will eventually walk away with the hefty prize money.

Any Australians or international players who have registered with Tennis Australia can enter the ‘One-Point’ Slam events at their local tennis clubs. The winners of these grassroots tournaments will then go into a draw, with one amateur player from each state and territory selected to take part in the ‘grand finale’ in a night session. The final will be played at the iconic Rod Laver Arena.

Moreover, the qualifying draws will start in December, and here all the amateurs, lower-ranked pros, and even celebrities can register their names.

Which tennis stars will compete at the 1 million dollar ‘One Point’ Slam?

Well, as per several reports, the first superstar to commit to the tournament is the current world number one, Carlos Alcaraz. In a recent statement released by the Australian Open tournament director Craig Tiley, it was mentioned, “I can reveal today that World No.1 Carlos Alcaraz will headline the pro player line-up in the Million Dollar 1 Point Slam—a thrilling new initiative where one point could win you $1 million.”

He also added, “Whether you're an amateur or a pro, the ultimate winner will walk away with the prize. Entries will open soon at clubs across the country, and during Opening Week, finalists will compete for a chance to face the pros on Rod Laver Arena.”

Who else? According to Tiley’s revelation during a conversation on the Weekly Tennis Podcast, they have also received calls from players like Jannik Sinner, Venus Williams, and several others. Everyone is really keen to sign up for this event.

He said the sole motive of this event is to really “activate the community” and let everyone feel like they have a chance to play something at the Australian Open.

In an interview, Craig Tiley also spoke about the success story of the AO and how it welcomed almost 1.2 million fans in 2025. He stated that this momentum is what really brought them to this new challenge. He strongly believes that this will be a next-level experience for all the fans. But how did the tennis world react to the introduction of this new thing in the first Grand Slam of the season?

Tennis legend Martina Navratilova isn’t too pleased with this event

It always starts with outrage! Every time tennis dares to take a step forward, traditionalists clutch their pearls, purists cry foul, and social media erupts with warnings that the sport is losing its soul. Yet, time and again, those same innovations become the lifeblood of the modern game.

Remember? Even the US Open organizers were heavily criticized after they announced that the mixed doubles event would be a standalone event before the Grand Slam. Now, the ‘One-Point’ Slam also receives a similar fate.

According to the 18-time Grand Slam champion, Martina Navratilova, the organizers are chasing entertainment and nothing else. She thinks that this event reduces tennis to a stunt. Navratilova also shared a tweet recently, saying, “Is the tennis itself not good enough???”

We don’t know if this is the future of tennis or just short-term entertainment, but one thing is for sure: several other tennis legends like Navratilova will definitely raise their eyebrows seeing the organizers chopping and changing the formats time and again.

What happened in the previous edition (2025), though?

In the 2025 format, things were a bit different, and the pros were allowed to serve once and the amateurs twice—as is the norm in traditional tennis. In this edition, Andrey Rublev was the top-ranked player. He lost in the QF, and the Australian pro, Omar Jasika, defeated Priscilla Hon in a 35-shot rally to win the contest, taking home the A$60,000 prize money.

However, the stands were a bit empty at the KIA Arena during this event, but with all these new introductions and the addition of Carlos Alcaraz, the organizers are expecting a better turnout in 2026. This exhibition event makes us wonder how many fans would dare to beat Carlitos and take home that $1 million prize money.

Written by

Sayantan Roy

Sayantan Roy is a seasoned tennis journalist at EssentiallySports. He brings a deep tactical understanding to his coverage, breaking down head-to-head records, match dynamics, and on-court strategies with precision. For more than two years, Sayantan has been a key member of the Live Events desk, delivering real-time insights and data-backed predictions for the platform’s Matchday Preview section. His analytical approach has sparked editorial debates and drawn recognition from respected tennis voices, including commentator and analyst Olly_Tennis. Combining his experience in writing with a passion for insightful sports journalism, Sayantan’s work serves as a trusted reference point for tennis fans around the world.

Know more

Edited by

Shrabana Sengupta