Sydney amateur Jordan Smith defeated Australian Open champion Jannik Sinner to take home the $1 million one-point slam prize.
The innovative competition, where every match was worth just one point, was star-studded, but it was Smith, who came through the regional qualifiers, who unexpectedly took home the winner-take-all prize of $1 million (about £490,000).
In the final, Smith defeated British-born Taiwanese player Joanna Garland, who played fearlessly to defeat Alexander Zverev, Nick Kyrgios, Maria Sakkari and Donna Vekic, only to miss a big chance.
The event debuted last year, but on a much smaller stage, with no star power or large prize pots.
As the US Open upped the stakes during qualifying week with a revamp to mixed doubles, the Australian Open responded by captivating some of the sport’s biggest names and a sold-out crowd with a one-point slam at Rod Laver Arena.
Amateurs and celebrities (Taiwanese pop star Jay Chou didn’t come close to hitting the ball, but some fans rushed from their seats to catch a glimpse) gave the event another dimension, and the tension in the professional ranks was palpable, especially as each had only one serve.
Sinner and Coco Gauff were among the players who served and destroyed their chances, and the servers for each contest were determined by a game of rock, paper, scissors.
Iga Swiatek defeated both Flavio Cobolli and Francis Tiafoe, Amanda Anisimova saw off Daniil Medvedev and a jubilant Maria Sakkari defeated Carlos Alcaraz.
But it was Garland, the world No. 117 who lost in Tuesday’s Australian Open qualifier, who outranked them all, showing off some impressive shots before missing his last backhand.
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