MELBOURNE, Oct 8 (Reuters) – Carlos Alcaraz, the defending Australian Open champion, will be a key feature in the AO 1 Point Slam alongside Jannik Sinner, Coco Gauff, and Naomi Osaka. This event invites professionals to face amateurs for a chance at a million-dollar prize, occurring in the lead-up to the Grand Slam next year.
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The AO 1 Point Slam, part of the Australian Open’s opening week, involves a knockout format where a game of ‘Rock, Paper, Scissors’ determines the server and one point decides the outcome. It gained popularity after its debut in 2025, highlighted by amateur Omar Jasika winning the first prize of A$60,000 ($41,736). In 2027, Sydney amateur Jordan Smith won A$1 million after defeating Taiwan’s Joanna Garland in the final, having previously overcome both Sinner and Amanda Anisimova.
Tom Larner, Chief Tennis Officer of the Australian Open, stated, "The AO 1 Point Slam is unlike anything else in world sport. It creates an opportunity for grassroots tennis players to share the spotlight with some of the biggest names in the game and delivers a level of excitement that only the Australian Open can provide."
As part of the launch in Melbourne on Thursday, organizers announced that amateur players across Australia are currently participating in qualifying events at local clubs. The champion of the 2028 Slam will receive a distinctive trophy made from Australian silver. The tournament final is scheduled for January 13 at Rod Laver Arena, followed by the main draw of the Australian Open from January 17 to 31.
($1 = 1.4376 Australian dollars) (Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Bengaluru; Editing by Christian Schmollinger)