Defending Australian Open champion Jannik Sinner was eliminated from the Happy Slam’s newest event by an amateur on Wednesday night.
The world No 2 was left red-faced after he suffered defeat by Sydneysider Jordan Smith in the One Point Slam at Rod Laver Arena, who would later go on to be crowned the One Point Slam champion.
It was the first defeat he has suffered at Melbourne Park since he was beaten by Stefanos Tsitsipas at the 2023 Australian Open.
The One Point Slam is Tennis Australia’s newest innovation for 2026. It sees amateur players take on a pro in a knock-out tournament, with a bumper cash prize of A$1million (£500,000) up for grabs.
Each match is decided by just a single point, with both male and female players competing against each other.
Sinner, who was seeded as No 2 in the draw, beat professional Pablo Carreno Busta before being bested by 29-year-old Smith.
Defending Australian Open champion Jannik Sinner was eliminated from the Happy Slam’s newest event by an amateur on Wednesday night
He was beaten by Sydney’s Jordan Smith (pictured) who would go on to claim
As part of the rules, professionals have one serve while amateurs have two chances to land the ball in. However, Sinner couldn’t land his serve in Smith’s service box, gifting his Aussie opponent the victory.
‘It was all luck!’ Smith said after the match, laughing.
Sinner added: ‘I’m happy you guys have one more Australian still here!’
‘I feel better about missing my serve now that Jannik and Foe did,’ Coco Gauff said on X, after she belted her serve into the net during her clash against Donna Vekic.
Smith, 29, has been playing tennis since he was three years old, and qualified for the event after winning the Australian Open’s One Point Slam New South Wales State Championships.
The crowd went crazy after he claimed victory against Sinner, but the roof nearly exploded off Rod Laver Arena when Smith went on to beat Amanda Anisimova to be crowned the champion of the One Point Slam and bank himself the major cash prize.
‘I can’t even speak, it’s unbelievable,’ he said.
Smith was then asked what he will do with the money.
Sinner (right) could not land his serve in Smith’s (left) service box, gifting his Aussie opponent the victory
One million Australian dollars were brought into Rod Laver Arena in a secure plastic case
There was a great atmosphere during the evening, with world No 1 Carlos Alcaraz (second from right) also competing at the event
Alcaraz (right) crashed out of the event after he was beaten by world No 52 Maria Sakkari (left)
‘Invest or buy a house with my girlfriend, I guess,’ he said.
Gauff later took to social media to congratulate the Aussie amateur.
‘Great event! lol I said when it started I hoped an amateur won !! Congrats Jordan �� soooo cold,’ the American wrote.
There was a great atmosphere throughout the event, and some players who had opted to sit the evening out, said they felt they had missed out.
‘Now that I’m actually watching it on TV, massive L from me to not be playing the one point slam,’ Taylor Fritz wrote on X. ‘This looks like so much fun!’
All of Nick Kyrgios, Naomi Osaka, Iga Swiatek and Frances Tiafoe featured in the competition, with men’s world No 1 Carlos Alcaraz crashing out after he was beaten by world No 52 Maria Sakkari.
‘It feels great to beat Carlos,’ she said.
