Four of tennis's biggest names are set to compete in a contest where an entire match can end with a single swing.
Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, Coco Gauff and Naomi Osaka have been confirmed for the Australian Open's 2027 AO 1 Point Slam, an exhibition-style knockout event that will bring professional stars, amateur qualifiers and celebrity entrants together at Rod Laver Arena on Wednesday, Jan. 13.
The prize is as striking as the format: A$1 million for the winner. Unlike a traditional tennis match, there are no sets, games or second chances. Each encounter is decided by one point. Win it and move on. Lose it and the tournament is over.
Tennis Australia announced the star lineup on Thursday, Oct. 8, as part of its expanded Opening Week program. The event is designed to give fans a different way to see established players compete while creating a route for recreational players to reach one of the sport's most recognizable stages.
That opportunity is more than a promotional promise. In the 2026 edition, Australian amateur Jordan Smith emerged from a field that included leading professionals to claim the A$1 million prize. His victory demonstrated the unpredictability built into the format: a single point can erase the advantages that typically emerge over a full match.
The 2027 competition will again draw amateur entrants through club events and state championships across Australia. Those qualifiers will join the professionals and celebrity wildcards in the Opening Week field. The pathway gives local competitors a rare chance to face elite players under the lights at Rod Laver Arena, where the Australian Open's biggest matches are normally contested.
Even the opening decision can become part of the drama. The event has used rock-paper-scissors to decide who serves or receives, replacing the usual coin toss with another quick, unpredictable moment. Once play begins, there is little time to settle into a rhythm or recover from a mistake.
For Alcaraz and Sinner, the competition offers a sharp contrast to the physical and tactical demands of their regular tour meetings. Gauff and Osaka bring additional star power to a mixed field in which rankings, seedings and lengthy match preparation offer no guarantee of survival.
The event also reflects the Australian Open's broader investment in Opening Week as a destination in its own right. Organizers have expanded entertainment and fan activities before the main draw, and the 1 Point Slam gives spectators a headline event built around immediate stakes rather than a conventional exhibition match.
Tennis Australia's chief tennis officer, Tom Larner, said the concept was intended to put grassroots players alongside established stars. The tournament's qualifying structure is central to that idea: players who begin at local clubs can potentially advance all the way to a nationally televised arena event.
Tickets for the 2027 1 Point Slam went on sale Oct. 8, with prices starting at A$59, according to Tennis Australia. The final is scheduled for Jan. 13 at Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne, ahead of the Australian Open main draw.
The defining attraction remains its simplicity. One point separates a first-round exit from another step toward A$1 million, and an amateur qualifier has already shown that the biggest name on the other side of the net is not necessarily the one who advances.
Sources: Australian Open / Tennis Australia (Oct. 8, 2026); Reuters reporting carried by The Star.