Amateur player Jordan Smith secures A$1 million at Australian Open exhibition
An amateur tennis player from New South Wales has pulled off one of the most remarkable upsets in exhibition tennis history, walking away with A$1 million after toppling some of the sport’s biggest names, reports BritPanorama.
Jordan Smith, a 29-year-old state champion, triumphed at the Australian Open’s One Point Slam on Wednesday evening, stunning a packed Rod Laver Arena crowd of 10,000 spectators.
The local hero’s incredible run included a victory over world number two Jannik Sinner, the two-time defending Australian Open champion who hadn’t lost at the Melbourne venue since 2023.
The tournament’s format was brilliantly simple yet utterly nerve-wracking. Each match consisted of just a single point — win and you progress, lose and you’re heading home.
In a twist that levelled the playing field, while any ATP or WTA-ranked professionals were limited to just one serve, non-professionals received two attempts. Players settled who would serve through a game of rock, paper, scissors, adding an element of unpredictability.
The 48-player field featured 24 pros alongside state champions from across Australia, Melbourne qualifiers, and celebrity wildcards, including Taiwanese singer Jay Chou. Smith’s breakthrough moment came when Sinner double faulted on his only serve attempt, sending the crowd into raptures.
Following that feat, Smith dispatched women’s world number four Amanda Anisimova before overcoming Spain’s Pedro Martinez to reach the final. His opponent, Taiwan’s Joanna Garland, had enjoyed her own magical run, knocking out world number three Alexander Zverev and former Wimbledon finalist Nick Kyrgios.
After winning rock, paper, scissors, Garland chose to serve — but Smith returned brilliantly, watching as her backhand sailed wide. Smith had revealed his game plan before the tournament ended, keeping expectations refreshingly modest, stating, “My strategy is to basically be a brick wall. I’ll just make a lot of balls and hopefully they miss.”
When asked about his plans for the prize money, the champion had a practical answer ready: “Partly buy a house. In Sydney, they’re pretty expensive.” Smith reflected on his experience following the match, admitting he was “nervous” but that it was “a great experience.”
What resonates here is not just the victory, but the sheer unpredictability of sport itself. Jordan Smith’s triumph reminds us of the relentless spirit of competition, where the underdog can, on occasion, rise to the occasion and capture the headlines against all odds.
