Carlos Alcaraz adds $1 million Australian Open ‘one point’ challenge to packed schedule

Do you think you could win a point against world No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz? What if that point was worth $1 million?

That’s the premise of the Australian Open’s new Milion Dollar 1 Point Slam, part of the 2026 tournament’s expanded Opening Week program announced this week by Tennis Australia.

"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," said Australian Open tournament director Craig Tiley.

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The exhibition tournament will feature Alcaraz and 21 other pros facing off against 10 amateurs from across Australia. Each match lasts just one point, with rock-paper-scissors deciding who serves or receives. The winner of each point advances, and the final will be played on Rod Laver Arena—where the ultimate winner will walk away with the $1 million prize.

"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,” Tiley added. "With more big names to be announced soon, you now have a million reasons to pick up a racquet and get ready for January."

The Australian Open’s expanded Opening Week hopes to mirror the success of the US Open’s Fan Week, which featured a revamped mixed doubles event, live entertainment and record-breaking attendance.

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For 2026, the entire Melbourne Park precinct will be open to the public from the first day, featuring four nights of star-studded charity events in Rod Laver Arena, plus qualifying action, open practices, live entertainment and more.

“The growth of the AO over recent years has been extraordinary—we welcomed 1.2 million fans in 2025,” Tiley said. “That momentum brings a new challenge: how do we give even more people a spectacular AO experience? The answer is Opening Week, which we’ve taken to the next level in scale and experience for AO 2026.”

The Million Dollar 1 Point Slam marks Alcaraz’s first confirmed exhibition event of 2026. It adds to an already stacked slate of exhibitions and non-mandatory tournaments in 2025, including a trip to Puerto Rico with Frances Tiafoe before Indian Wells, a US Open mixed doubles appearance with Emma Raducanu, representing Team Europe at the Laver Cup, and off-season events including A Racquet At The Rock on December 7 in Newark, New Jersey with Tiafoe and Raducanu, and the Miami Tennis Invitational alongside Joao Fonseca on December 8.

Currently, Alcaraz is sidelined after withdrawing from the Shanghai Masters due to an ankle injury sustained during his run to the Tokyo title, where he defeated Taylor Fritz in the final.

The Spaniard has previously voiced concerns about the ATP’s crowded calendar. “The calendar is so tight, a lot of tournaments, no days off or not as much days off as I want,” he said at the Laver Cup. “I’m the kind of player who thinks there is a lot of mandatory tournaments during the year, and probably during the next few years gonna be even more tournaments… I mean, probably they are going to kill us in some way.”

Still, the 22-year-old’s busy schedule has drawn criticism—including from 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic, who called the complaints “contradictory”.

“Look, it’s an individual sport, so there are choices to be made,” Djokovic said in response to comments from Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner and Iga Swiatek. “I see some players say there are rules imposed for the bonus… So you can miss the bonus. It’s the choice that you are willing to make if you want to play less.

“But then, there are exhibitions that players are signing up for as well, so it’s a little bit contradictory.”

Alcaraz is next scheduled to appear at the Six Kings Slam in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia—a three-day exhibition event offering a $1.5 million appearance fee and a $4.5 million winner’s prize—before returning to ATP Tour action at the Rolex Paris Masters from October 27 to November 2.