Madness before the Australian Open! Won 6 points and received a million dollars » Decisions are made by “Rock, scissors, paper”

Ashley Davis14/01/2026

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Article by Sebastian Vasile – Published Wednesday, January 14, 2026, 2:35 p.m. / Updated Wednesday, January 14, 2026 2:42 p.m.

Ahead of the 2026 Australian Open, an exciting tournament, the 'One Point Slam', with prizes of one million Australian dollars, was held in Melbourne. And the main rule, as the name suggests, is that the winner of each match is decided by a single point.

Thus, this morning, Australian amateur tennis player Jordan Smith left everyone speechless after winning the Australian Open tournament, endowed with a one-time prize of one million dollars. The Australian's best ranking was 1141 ATP, and the prizes won on the circuit so far amounted to just over $6,000.

Smith defeated Sinner and Anisimova en route to a million dollars

Smith entered this first-of-its-kind event as New South Wales state champion, in a format that pitted amateurs, professional players and celebrities against each other. On Wednesday night at the Rod Laver Arena, it was Smith who emerged victorious, knocking out a host of big names in white sport along the way.

Needing just one point to win and advance to the next round, the 29-year-old defeated Australian rules footballer Bailey Smith in the first round. She then got past Laura Pigossi, the women's world number 15, before producing the biggest shock of the night, knocking out two-time Australian Open champion Jannik Sinner.

Then followed a victory against world number six Amanda Anisimova, and Pedro Martinez (95 ATP) became his next victim. In the final, his opponent, Joanna Garland of Taiwan, sent a shot out of bounds, securing victory for the local hero. So, Smith won 6 points for a million dollars!

And Nick Kyrgios put on a show in Melbourne

Earlier in the event, Nick Kyrgios proved once again that he is a one-man show. The eccentric Aussie brought the crowd to their feet when he defeated Western Australian state champion Steve Yarwood.

After Yarwood served lightning fast, Kyrgios managed to return the ball and his 38-year-old opponent went to the net, but Nick answered with a perfect cross that gave his opponent no chance.

Although Yarwood celebrated as if he had won, Kyrgios raised his right fist in the air as the big screen replay confirmed the former Wimbledon finalist had won the point. Kyrgios didn't stop there, managing to eliminate world number 14 Andrey Rublev in the second round after a prolonged exchange of balls.

But her run came to an end in the third round against world number 117 Joanna Garland when her lapel down the line went out of bounds.

Taylor Fritz did not participate in the tournament: “It's a lot of fun”

American tennis player Taylor Fritz wrote on X: “Now that I'm watching it on TV, I really regret not going to this one-point tournament, it looks like a lot of fun.”

After the tournament was unsuccessful in its inaugural year in 2025, the new format looks destined to remain on the competitive calendar for years to come. The first Grand Slam of the year will begin at Melbourne Park on Sunday, January 18.