Jordan Smith Claims $1M AUD Prize as 1 Point Slam Returns for 2027 Australian Open

Local amateur Jordan Smith secured a million-dollar payout after Joanna Garland committed a backhand error on the third stroke of the 1 Point Slam final.

Jordan Smith secured a $1 million AUD ($705,000 USD) windfall at Melbourne Park after winning the final match of the 1 Point Slam on a third-stroke error. The decisive moment occurred when Joanna Garland, the world No. 117 from Taiwan, sent a two-handed backhand wide of the line. This victory concluded a single-point knockout bracket that featured a diverse roster including Jannik Sinner, whom Smith defeated earlier in the competition. The event also saw Taiwanese pop star Jay Chou eliminated without touching the ball after Petar Jovic delivered an unreturnable ace.

Key details

Australian Open organizers officially confirmed on Wednesday, August 4, 2026, that the high-stakes competition will return to the 2027 tournament schedule. The main draw of the upcoming Grand Slam is slated to run from January 17 to January 31, with the 1 Point Slam serving as a primary lead-in event. The prize pool remains fixed at one million Australian dollars for the ultimate winner, maintaining its status as one of the most lucrative single-point formats in global sports. This unique structure integrates amateur qualifiers directly into a bracket containing the world’s elite tennis professionals.

Jordan Smith’s journey to the Rod Laver Arena spotlight began at a regional qualifying event held at Sydney Olympic Park. The local amateur navigated through a field that included Grand Slam champions such as Carlos Alcaraz, Iga Swiatek, and Naomi Osaka. Other high-profile participants who entered the previous iteration included Coco Gauff and Alexander Zverev. Smith remarked that his transition from a suburban club player to a millionaire athlete was an unexpected result of the tournament’s egalitarian format, which allows any participant to advance based on a solitary rally.

Latest developments

Registration for the 2027 qualifying rounds opens next week for all affiliated clubs, coaches, associations, and partner schools across Australia. These organizations are invited to host preliminary events to determine who will travel to Melbourne Park for the final stages. Smith’s home club has already announced intentions to host a sanctioned qualifier this year, hoping to replicate the success of their local member. The tournament maintains a strict knockout policy where every match is decided by the outcome of one point, leaving no room for recovery after a double fault or unforced error.

The 2027 edition will utilize the same world-class facilities at Melbourne Park that host the Australian Open’s main draw participants. Organizers noted that the previous event's success in January 2026 drove the decision to renew the format for the following season. By placing amateurs on the same show courts as top-ten seeds, the event generates a distinct atmosphere unlike traditional multi-set matches. The $705,000 USD equivalent prize represents a life-altering sum for non-professional entrants who manage to survive the early rounds against seasoned ATP and WTA veterans.

Logistics for the upcoming January window involve coordinating hundreds of short-duration matches to narrow the field down to the final televised rounds. The 1 Point Slam has become a focal point of the Australian summer of tennis, bridging the gap between grassroots participation and professional excellence. Smith emphasized that the pressure of a single point on a stadium court is incomparable to standard match play, as a single mistimed shot results in immediate elimination. The return of this format ensures that the 2027 Australian Open will once again offer a million-dollar opportunity to any player capable of winning a single high-pressure rally.