The Australian Open will revive its innovative "1 Point Slam" in 2027 with Carlos Alcaraz, Coco Gauff, Naomi Osaka and Jannik Sinner among those agreeing to take part Thursday. The sudden-death contest was played for the first time at Melbourne Park this year ahead of the opening Grand Slam of the year, pitting 24 professionals alongside 24 amateurs and celebrity wildcards. Each match consisted of just one point -- win and you advanced, lose and you were out. (FILES) Italy's Jannik Sinner celebrates winning against Germany's Alexander Zverev during their men's singles final tennis match on the fourteenth day of the 2026 Wimbledon Championships at The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon, southwest London, on July 12, 2026. (Photo by Henry NICHOLLS / AFP) Against the odds, amateur Jordan Smith sensationally upset the star-studded field at a packed Rod Laver Arena to collect a Aus$1 million (US$670,000) prize. "It creates an opportunity for grassroots tennis players to share the spotlight with some of the biggest names in the game," AFP quoted Tennis Australia's Tom Larner as saying. "Having stars like Carlos Alcaraz, Coco Gauff, Naomi Osaka and Jannik Sinner locked in to play, alongside everyday Australians ... captures exactly what this event is about, bringing people together through tennis." Japan's Naomi Osaka hits a return to Czech Republic's Karolina Muchova during their women's singles match at the China Open tennis tournament in Beijing on October 6, 2026. (Photo by ADEK BERRY / AFP) The amateur field will again comprise winners of eight state championship rounds played across Australia, along with eight others who come through qualifying. More than 1.3 million fans attended the 2026 Australian Open, and organizers are planning to increase viewing capacity and seating even further for the 2027 tournament which runs from January 17-31.
