The Australian Open player field is expanding in 2026 ... by amateurs who have a simple objective: Win a point, just one, against the best players in the world.
At the new "1-Point Slam" event at Melbourne Park later this month, "Average Joes" representing tennis clubs from all the states and territories in Australia will take on ATP and WTA stars including Carlos Alcaraz, Coco Gauff and Iga Swiatek for a $1 million cash prize. Also competing are Jannik Sinner, Naomi Osaka, Jasmine Paolini, Daniil Medvedev, and Nick Kyrgios.
📲🖥️ Stream the AO 1 Point Slam at 3:30 a.m. ET on Jan. 14 on the Tennis Channel App!
Each match will last 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 last player standing will walk away with the prize.
The "1-Point Slam" is one of the signature new innovations of an expanded first week in Melbourne, and followed the smash-hit success of the revamped US Open mixed-doubles tournament last summer that initially courted controversy.