The Australian Open's 'One Point Slam' thrills fans – and one-ups the other Grand Slams
An amateur tennis player beats a four-time Grand Slam champion. Men competing against women on a standard court. Professional players taking on TV hosts, comedians, and a former jockey. A single point decides the winner of $1 million AUD ($668,300 USD), in front of a packed stadium and a captivated online audience.
On Wednesday night in Melbourne, Jordan Smith, an amateur player from Sydney's Castle Hill tennis academy, won the second edition of the Australian Open's 'One Point Slam' by defeating Joanna Garland, the women's world No. 117, who had earlier beaten men's world No. 3 Alexander Zverev.
This wasn't a tennis fantasy, but a reminder of the sport's potential for chaos, fun, and unpredictability when it embraces those elements, which it often doesn't.
Last year's 'One Point Slam' offered just $40,093 USD and one professional player, Andrey Rublev, but this year, the stars aligned. Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, Iga Świątek, Coco Gauff, and many more joined amateurs who had won regional state championships across Australia, as well as qualifiers and wildcards.
In total, 48 players participated. Each match determined the server through a game of rock, paper, scissors, with pros limited to one serve.
Top players like Sinner, Gauff, and Frances Tiafoe fell at the first hurdle, getting their serve in the box. Petar Jovic, an amateur qualifier, almost beat Daniil Medvedev with a 'tweener.' Garland defeated Zverev with a backhand winner.
Players chatted, laughed, and expressed disbelief, embracing the chaos of a single point, often a heavy weight in their competitive lives. Taylor Fritz, world No. 9, expressed annoyance at not playing on X.
Garland, a 25-year-old representing Chinese Taipei but born in the UK, was a standout. She beat Zverev, 2022 Wimbledon finalist Nick Kyrgios, and former Wimbledon semifinalist Donna Vekić.
Garland's 'One Point Slam' run saw her take out two Grand Slam finalists. Smith, who had beaten world No. 71 Pedro Martinez to reach the final, was similarly stunned. When Garland missed a backhand shot, securing him the title and cash prize, Smith planned to invest the money or buy property with his girlfriend, while his tennis club received a $50,000 AUD windfall.
Across the globe, the other Grand Slams will be envious as the Australian Open takes strides to become a genuine three-week event, instead of two. The 'One Point Slam' followed record qualifying attendances at the Australian Open, generating $465.8 million USD in revenue from January to September 2025, a 17% increase from the previous year.
The U.S. Open's mixed doubles event, moved to the week before the singles main draws, faced criticism for depriving doubles specialists, though it was a commercial success. Wimbledon, the outlier, is locked in a legal battle to expand, with plans to build 39 new courts, including an 8,000-seater show court, on Wimbledon Park golf course.
The 'One Point Slam' has overcome initial skepticism, becoming a hit, with top players and former pros embracing the chaos. The event will likely grow next year, and the other majors will take note, as they constantly compete to outdo each other in size, revenue, and audience engagement.
