Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner got knocked out in one of the biggest upsets ever seen at the 1 Point Slam – and here’s the crazy part: an amateur actually won the whole thing.
The 1 Point Slam started last year as a pretty small event. It had some amateurs and mostly lower-ranked Australian pros, with Andrey Rublev and Hubert Hurkacz being the biggest names.
This year? They went all out.
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The qualifiers got way bigger, and they expanded to a 64-player draw with the top 16 pros getting byes. That’s when things got really interesting.
The rules are pretty simple. One point decides everything. Rock-paper-scissors determines who serves first. Pros only get one serve, while amateurs get both. The winner takes home A$1 million. The last amateur standing gets a brand-new Kia EV3 GT-Line.
The Upsets Begin
The first round went pretty much as expected. But the second round? That’s where the chaos started.
Iga Swiatek kicked things off by beating Flavio Cobolli in the very first match. Not exactly what you’d expect from the former world No. 1.
One of the best rallies of the night came when amateur Petar Jovic faced Daniil Medvedev. Jovic even hit a tweener during the point, though he ended up losing to the former Australian Open finalist.
Then amateur Jordan Smith shocked everyone by beating Laura Pigossi, who’s ranked No. 198 in the world.
But that wasn’t even the biggest surprise. Alec Reverente came up with a great second serve to eliminate Felix Auger-Aliassime. Coco Gauff, who’d joked about not looking forward to the event, probably let her nerves get to her – she double-faulted against Donna Vekic.
One of the most shocking moments came when Alexander Zverev, one of the best players on tour, lost to Joanna Garland. She’s ranked No. 117 in the world, but Zverev played way too passively. Garland didn’t need a second invitation.
The Drama Continues
By the third round, things were getting really wild.
Frances Tiafoe double-faulted against Swiatek, meaning the Polish star had now knocked out her second ATP player.
The WTA players were absolutely dominating their ATP colleagues. Amanda Anisimova stunned Medvedev, but what happened next was probably the shock of the tournament.
Jannik Sinner, the two-time Australian Open champion, was facing amateur Jordan Smith. After joking earlier about being scared to serve, Sinner actually double-faulted against the amateur.
It was the upset of the evening.
Garland wanted to keep her streak going after beating Zverev. Nick Kyrgios went for an aggressive return but missed it long. Just like Swiatek, Garland had now beaten two ATP players in a row.
But the surprises weren’t over.
After Sinner’s exit, Carlos Alcaraz also crashed out. He tried a drop shot against Maria Sakkari, but it was way too short.
The Quarter-Finals Lineup
Heading into the quarters, the draw looked absolutely crazy: 6 WTA players, 1 ATP player, and one amateur.
Pedro Martinez was the last ATP guy standing, and he wasn’t going down without a fight. The Spaniard eliminated Swiatek in the quarters.
Jordan Smith, the last amateur, was up against Anisimova next. He’d already made it way deeper than anyone expected, but he had his eyes on that A$1 million prize. His serve caught Anisimova off guard – she missed it long, sending Smith to the semis.
The other two semis were all WTA matchups. Donna Vekic beat McCartney Kessler, while Garland eliminated Sakkari.
Semi-Final Madness
Smith faced Martinez, the ATP world No. 71, in the first semi. He pulled off another shocking upset, getting one step closer to that life-changing million-dollar prize.
The second semi was between Vekic and Garland, who’d both become crowd favorites. Garland completed the dream final by beating Vekic.
Before the real final, Smith and Reverente played for the amateur prize – that new Kia. Smith lost, so Reverente got the car. But Smith had bigger things on his mind.
A Life-Changing Final
Sure, some fans might’ve wanted to see another Alcaraz-Sinner final. But honestly? Everyone was pretty excited to see Smith and Garland play for A$1 million.
For both players, winning would be absolutely life-changing.
Garland might be a pro, but she’s only earned $404,934 in her entire career. That million-dollar prize (about $670,000 US) would be more than 150% of her career earnings. She mentioned during the event that winning could fund her career for the next few years.
Smith said he’d use the money to buy a house.
All the eliminated players watched from backstage as these two unlikely finalists prepared for the biggest point of their lives. An amateur versus the world No. 117 – probably the most unlikely scenario anyone could’ve imagined.
Jordan Smith ultimately took home the top prize after Garland missed a backhand.
The 1 Point Slam proved to be an amazing event, showing just how unpredictable tennis can be – especially when everything comes down to a single point.
