Source daily express
MELBOURNE, Australia – In a result that has sent shockwaves through the tennis world, an amateur player from New South Wales has defeated world number two Jannik Sinner to claim a $1 million (AUD) prize at an inaugural Australian Open exhibition event.
The upset occurred during the “One Point Slam,” a high-stakes, sudden-death tournament held at Rod Laver Arena on Wednesday, just days before the official start of the 2026 Australian Open. The innovative format pitted 24 top professionals against 24 amateurs and celebrity wildcards in a winner-takes-all bracket where every match consisted of exactly one point.
The Point That Shook Melbourne
Jordan Smith, a 29-year-old amateur who qualified for the event by winning a state championship in New South Wales, faced the two-time defending Australian Open champion in the third round.
Under the event’s unique rules, professional players were restricted to just one serve, while amateurs were granted the traditional two. Sinner, the heavy favorite, stepped up to the line and shockingly netted his only serve, resulting in an immediate double-fault and elimination. The crowd erupted as Smith, who had admitted earlier in the night he was “just happy to win one point,” realized he had just toppled one of the greatest players in the world.
“I was so nervous, but I enjoyed being out here,” Smith said after the match. “My strategy was basically to be a brick wall, but I didn’t even have to hit a ball against Jannik.”
A Night of Giant-Killers
Sinner wasn’t the only superstar to fall in the brutal format. The event, described by Tennis Australia chief Craig Tiley as the “ultimate grassroots-to-Grand Slam experience,” saw several top seeds stumble:
Carlos Alcaraz was eliminated by WTA star Maria Sakkari in the quarter-finals after his trademark drop shot failed him.
Coco Gauff and Frances Tiafoe both exited early after missing their single allotted serves.
Iga Świątek fell to Spanish pro Pedro Martínez.
Smith’s “Cinderella story” didn’t end with Sinner. He went on to defeat US Open finalist Amanda Anisimova and Pedro Martínez before facing world No. 117 Joanna Garland in the final. Smith secured the AUD $1 million (approx. $670,000 USD) prize and a new Kia car when Garland sent a backhand wide on the third stroke of the final point.
Looking Toward the Open
While the loss does not affect Sinner’s official ranking or his status as the defending champion for the main draw, it serves as a bizarre footnote to his preparation. Sinner is currently chasing a historic “three-peat” at Melbourne Park, having won the title in 2024 and 2025.
The real Australian Open begins this Sunday, January 18. Jordan Smith, meanwhile, says he knows exactly what to do with his winnings: “I’m going to buy a house.”
