Amateur Smith Upsets Sinner in One Point Slam Before Australian Open

Amateur Tennis Player Jordan Smith Wins $1 Million Prize in “One Point Slam” Tournament

A surprise winner emerged in the highly anticipated “One Point Slam” tournament, a unique competition that pitted professional tennis players against amateur athletes at Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne. The event, which took place on Wednesday, featured 24 professionals and 24 amateurs, with each match consisting of a single point. The top-seeded professionals had first-round byes before the competition transitioned into a traditional knockout format.

The winner, Jordan Smith from New South Wales, Australia, secured a $1 million prize purse after defeating Joanna Garland in the final. Smith’s path to victory included upsets over Jannik Sinner and Amanda Anisimova. Garland, ranked world number 117, had previously defeated Alexander Zverev, Nick Kyrgios, and Maria Sakkari.

The amateur field consisted of winners from eight state championship rounds across Australia, as well as eight qualifiers who emerged from a qualifying process this week. Eight celebrity wildcards also participated in the event. Tennis Australia chief Craig Tiley described the tournament as “the ultimate grassroots-to-Grand Slam experience,” highlighting its unique format and accessibility.

The competition was won by Smith, who plans to use his winnings to purchase a house. In a post-match statement, Smith expressed his excitement about participating in the event, stating that it was a “great experience” and that he enjoyed being part of the tournament. The Australian Open is set to begin on Sunday at Melbourne Park, with Jannik Sinner defending his men’s title and Madison Keys competing for the women’s title.

Source: Al Jazeera