Amateur beats Sinner, turns millionaire
A little-known local amateur player beat Jannik Sinner and went on to make himself a millionaire in Australian dollars after winning the 1 Point Slam on Wednesday at the Australian Open’s pre-tournament event.
It was a life-changing day for Jordan Smith in the Rod Laver Arena, with the event including top-ranked Carlos Alcaraz. All the matches lasted just one single point in a knockout bracket that included men and women, professionals and amateurs, plus celebrities like Taiwanese pop star Jay Chou, who was knocked out without hitting the ball after an ace from Petar Jovic.
Smith emerged in triumph from a state qualifying event to get the winner-take-all prize of 1 million Australian dollars, or around $670,000. The Australian won on the third stroke of the final when Joanna Garland, the women’s No. 117 from Taiwan, sent a two-handed backhand wide. Garland had service which was decided by playing rock, paper, scissors. Not that serving was always an advantage.
Sinner lost his third-round point against Smith, by netting his serve. So did Coco Gauff against Donna Vekic while Frances Tiafoe sent his serve to Iga Swiatek too long — mishaps that provoked giggles and laughs from the players involved. Garland lost in Australian Open qualifying this week yet surged through the 1-Point Slam bracket beating Alexander Zverev and Nick Kyrgios, plus Maria Sakkari and Vekic.
