In a stunning upset at Melbourne Park, defending Australian Open champion Jannik Sinner was knocked out of a major new tournament by a complete amateur on Wednesday night. The world number two was humbled by Sydneysider Jordan Smith in the inaugural 'One Point Slam', a revolutionary high-speed event introduced for the 2026 season.
The One Point Slam: A Radical New Format
Tennis Australia's latest innovation is designed for maximum drama. The 'One Point Slam' pits amateur qualifiers against professional stars in a sudden-death knockout tournament, with a life-changing cash prize of A$1 million (approximately £500,000) on the line. The core rule is as simple as it is brutal: each entire match is decided by a single point. Men and women compete directly against each other in this unique format.
Professionals are granted just one serve attempt, while their amateur opponents receive two chances to land their serve in play. In his second-round clash against the 29-year-old Smith, Sinner, seeded second, could not land his solitary serve into the designated service box, gifting the victory to the elated Australian.
An Amateur's Dream Run to Glory
Jordan Smith, who has played tennis since the age of three, earned his place in the draw by winning the New South Wales State Championships for the event. After his unbelievable win over Sinner, which sent the Rod Laver Arena crowd into a frenzy, Smith continued his fairytale run. He defeated professional Amanda Anisimova in the final to be crowned the first-ever 'One Point Slam' champion and claim the monumental cash prize.
"I can't even speak, it's unbelievable," an overwhelmed Smith said after his victory. When asked about his plans for the money, he responded, "Invest or buy a house with my girlfriend, I guess." Following his win over Sinner, he had modestly claimed, "It was all luck!"
Star-Studded Field and Social Media Reaction
The event attracted a glittering array of tennis talent, creating a vibrant atmosphere. Alongside Sinner, stars like Nick Kyrgios, Naomi Osaka, Iga Swiatek, and Frances Tiafoe all took part. The shocks were not limited to Sinner's exit; world number one Carlos Alcaraz also crashed out, beaten by women's professional and world number 52, Maria Sakkari.
The novel format generated significant buzz on social media. American star Coco Gauff, who missed her serve against Donna Vekic, joked on X: "I feel better about missing my serve now that Jannik and Foe did." She later congratulated Smith, writing: "Great event! lol I said when it started I hoped an amateur won !! Congrats Jordan soooo cold."
Some players who opted out expressed regret. Taylor Fritz posted on X: "Now that I'm actually watching it on TV, massive L from me to not be playing the one point slam. This looks like so much fun!" The event marked Sinner's first defeat at Melbourne Park since losing to Stefanos Tsitsipas in the 2023 Australian Open, though this latest loss came in dramatically different circumstances.
