Sydney Tennis Coach Claims Million-Dollar Prize in Unique Tournament
Jordan Smith, a 29-year-old tennis coach from Sydney, achieved an extraordinary victory on Wednesday evening. He won the second edition of the 1-Point Slam at Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne. Smith took home one million Australian dollars after defeating several top professional players.
An Amateur's Remarkable Journey to the Title
The amateur player began his campaign with a win over Laura Pigossi. He then faced world number two Jannik Sinner, the defending Australian champion. Sinner double-faulted his serve, giving Smith a surprising victory. Smith continued his impressive run by beating world number six Amanda Anisimova with a service winner.
In the semi-final, Smith overcame Pedro Martinez after a long rally ended with a backhand error from Martinez. The final match saw Smith face world number 117 Joanna Garland. Garland served after winning the toss through rock, paper, scissors. Smith made a solid return, and Garland's backhand went out, securing the title for the Sydney coach.
Unique Tournament Format and High-Profile Participants
The 1-Point Slam featured a distinctive format. Each match consisted of just one point. Tosses were decided by rock, paper, scissors. Top professional players received only one serve, while amateur participants like Smith got two serves.
This year's event included 24 professional players, such as Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz. It also had eight main draw wild cards, eight qualifying wild cards, and eight community champions. The field contained notable names from various fields.
- Australian football star Bailey Smith
- Melbourne Cup winner Damien Oliver
- Singer-songwriter Jay Chou
- Twitch streamer Loserfruit
- Television presenters Karl Stefanovic and Andy Lee
Reactions from the Champion and Competitors
After his victory, Jordan Smith expressed overwhelming emotions. "I'm just happy I won a point. I was so nervous. I can't even speak," Smith said. "Coming into tonight I would have been happy winning just one point. I was so nervous but enjoyed being out here, it was a great experience."
When asked about his plans for the prize money, Smith humorously remarked on Sydney's housing market. "I will probably 'half a house' in Sydney. Or maybe half a house... prices in Sydney are insane," he added.
Smith coaches at the Castle Hill Tennis Academy in Sydney. His win also earned $50,000 for his club. He became the second champion in the tournament's history, following Omar Jasika's victory last year.
Notable Moments from Other Matches
Joanna Garland, Smith's final opponent, had an impressive path to the championship match. She defeated players like Alexander Zverev, Nick Kyrgios, Maria Sakkari, and Donna Vekic. Before facing Smith, Garland said, "There are three winners tonight. Tennis, me and him (Smith)."
Nick Kyrgios shared his excitement after winning his opening match against Steve Yarwood. "My heart is racing. That was a good serve. Honestly, this feels like the finals of Wimbledon," Kyrgios stated.
Jannik Sinner described his intense feelings after his initial victory over Carreno Busta. "I kind of called it so that's how it happens. You cannot imagine my heartbeat right now. It's around 200, but I survived until now," Sinner revealed.
Carlos Alcaraz compared the atmosphere to a major final after losing to Maria Sakkari. "It feels a little like I'm playing a Grand Slam final right now," Alcaraz commented.
Tournament Background and Growth
The 1-Point Slam debuted last year before the Australian Open. Andrey Rublev was the only top-ten player participating then, with a prize pool of $60,000. This year's event significantly expanded, featuring more players and a much larger prize.
Daniil Medvedev, a three-time Australian Open runner-up, lost to Amanda Anisimova early in the tournament. Anisimova then fell to Jordan Smith. Carlos Alcaraz also suffered a defeat against Maria Sakkari, who later lost to Joanna Garland.
The tournament's unique one-point format created intense, unpredictable matches. It provided thrilling entertainment for fans ahead of the Australian Open.
