Melbourne, Jan 14 (.) Amateur player Jordan Smith would have been “happy winning just one point” – but walked away with A$1m and bragging rights over world number two Jannik Sinner as he triumphed at the Australian Open’s Million Dollar One Point Slam.
According to BBC Sport, the innovative format offered amateur players the opportunity to win the prize money by playing a sole point against some of the sport’s top talent and other famous faces.
Smith was the star of the show on Rod Laver Arena, also defeating women’s world number four Amanda Anisimova in front of 10,000 people.
Smith faced women’s world number 117 Joanna Garland in a fitting finale, after the Taiwanese 24-year-old stunned men’s world number three Alexander Zverev and former Wimbledon finalist Nick Kyrgios.
New South Wales state champion Smith was not the only amateur to seize his moment in the spotlight, with Queensland state champion Alec Reverente beating men’s world number seven
Felix Auger-Aliassime.
As the two best performing amateurs, Smith and Reverente also went head-to-head to win a brand new car, with Reverente triumphing.
The tournament was played in good spirits – even a racquet smash by Kyrgios following his defeat was performed in good humour – and generated genuine intrigue.
Many of the beaten players, including men’s number one Carlos Alcaraz, remained at Rod Laver Arena and gathered around televisions to watch the conclusion between the two unlikely finalists.
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