Amateur Shocks Tennis Elite to Win A$1m in Melbourne
Amateur Jordan Smith stunned tennis stars to win A$1m at the Australian Open One Point Slam, delivering one of Melbourne’s biggest tennis upsets.
Amateur player Jordan Smith would have been "happy just to win a point" – but he walked away with A$1m (£496,835) and bragging rights over world number two Jannik Sinner after winning the Australian Open's million-dollar One Point Slam.
The innovative format gave amateur players the chance to win prize money by playing just one point against some of the sport's top talent and other famous faces.
Smith was the star of the show at Rod Laver Arena, also defeating women's world number four Amanda Anisimova in front of almost 15,000 people.
Smith faced women's world number 117 Joanna Garland in a thrilling final, after the 24-year-old Taiwanese player had caused upsets against men's world number three Alexander Zverev and former Wimbledon finalist Nick Kyrgios.
New South Wales state champion Smith wasn't the only amateur player to enjoy his moment in the spotlight, with Queensland state champion Alec Reverente defeating men's world number seven Felix Auger-Aliassime.
As the two best-performing amateur players, Smith and Reverente also faced each other for the chance to win a new car, with Reverente emerging victorious.
The tournament was played in good spirits – even Kyrgios's racket-smashing antics after his defeat were done in good humour – and it generated genuine interest.
Many of the losing players, including men's world number one Carlos Alcaraz, stayed at Rod Laver Arena and gathered around televisions to watch the outcome between the two unlikely finalists.
Upsets, shocks and entertainment at Melbourne Park
The opening match set the tone for the evening when tennis coach Andres Schneiter knocked out men's world number 34 Corentin Moutet. Upsets were the order of the day in this quick-fire format, as fellow players cheered enthusiastically from the sidelines and the crowd rallied behind the underdogs.
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British-born Garland, who lost in the first round of singles qualifying in Melbourne, was the biggest surprise, defeating former women's world number three Maria Sakkari and 2024 Wimbledon semi-finalist Donna Vekic.
Meanwhile, Smith didn't even need to hit a ball against Sinner as the men's world number two double-faulted on his serve – and professionals only get one chance to get it right. He didn't stop there, following up his win over Anisimova by defeating 71st-ranked Spaniard Pedro Martinez to earn a shot at the prize money.
"I would have been happy just to win one point before coming here tonight," said the 29-year-old Smith, who won national titles as a junior.
"I was very nervous but it was great fun to be here, it was a fantastic experience."
Elsewhere, Sakkari dashed Alcaraz's hopes when the top-ranked men's player hit the ball into the net attempting a drop shot.
Meanwhile, six-time Grand Slam winner Iga Swiatek defeated Flavio Cobolli and Frances Tiafoe, ranked world number 22 and 31 respectively, but later lost to Martinez.
How did the Million Dollar One Point Slam work?
The event, which took place four days before the start of the Australian Open on Sunday, featured a total of 48 competitors, including 24 top professional players.
Eight amateur winners from state championship rounds, eight qualifiers from Melbourne, and eight wildcards – including celebrities and invited guests – made up the rest of the field.
Matches began with a game of 'rock, paper, scissors' to determine who would serve, with each match consisting of a single point, and the winner advancing in a knockout format. The Australian Open held its inaugural One Point Slam event in 2025, but the prize fund was A$60,000 (£29,808) and Russia's Andrey Rublev was the only top-10 player involved.
This is the latest attempt by tennis authorities to generate new interest in the sport, after last year's US Open introduced a standalone mixed doubles championship before the main draw.
'A great success for both the underdog and the tournament'
Earlier in the evening, Coco Gauff admitted she didn't want to win the One Point Slam.
Instead, the two-time Grand Slam singles champion wanted an amateur player to take home the money. She argued they would be more deserving of the life-changing sum.
Smith, a mild-mannered individual who was literally speechless during his on-court interviews after each victory, ultimately became the beneficiary. A different future awaits him. At the very least, as a new homeowner. Remarkably, Smith seemed the calmest person in the place. He was perfectly composed even when standing across the net from Sinner. He wasn't fazed by the box of fake cash sitting courtside. He knew a huge sum of money was at stake when he was playing Garland from the baseline, yet he remained completely calm.
This innovative event proved to be a masterstroke by Australian Open tournament director Craig Tiley.
The presence of superstar players added to the gravitas, and the possibility of anyone beating anyone else added a touch of excitement. The nearly full arena boosted revenue, and the event also proved popular with online fans.
Tiley emphasized that the boom-or-bust concept was meant to level the playing field between Grand Slam events and grassroots tennis.
The unknown underdog ensured that it was indeed the spectacular success they had both dreamed of.
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