The organizers of the Open took an innovative step this year with the “1-point Slam” competition. It will be broadcast live on Channel Nine and other broadcasters. To jumpstart this idea last year, there was a smaller tournament with a much smaller offering – $60,000.
The concept is fairly straightforward. Each “match” is decided by one point. Win a point and you advance; lose it and you’re out. A “rock, paper, scissors” contest determines which player serves (or, alternatively, which side of the court – deuce or added court – he will play) – a factor that can greatly affect how a point plays out.
However, there is one crucial rule: amateurs get two serves, while current ATP and WTA players get one serve.
Jovic has about a 10-point winning streak in qualifying.
The brutal nature of the ‘one point’ competition – players live on the edge and walk the tightrope to go for winners or play with percentages.
“You just get all these emotions going into it. You don’t know what’s going to happen. It’s so chaotic,” Jovic said.
Viktorián Petar Jovic is one of eight state champions competing in the innovative event.Credit: Chris Hopkins
His final contest at the Fawkner, with an AO spot on the line, was dramatic.
“[I] he won the toss so of course I had to choose submission. And then it was funny, yeah, I hit a serve and I thought I missed it; it looked like it was very close to the line
“I kind of stopped because I thought he was going to call it and then he just put it back and it was in the game. I’m on the back because I’m like panicking,” Jovic recalled.
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“I was ready to pick the second ball out of the pocket and then it’s hit. [the ball] rear. So I backpedal and I hit a backhand and it kind of bounced, you know, and he just hits a forehand and just misses.”
Jovic doesn’t know if it’s fate for him, but he won’t die of amazement on Wednesday night – even as he contemplates trying to fire an unreturnable serve against a player similar to two-time defending Open champion Jannik Sinner.
“You can be so prepared just because somebody can frame the ball and it takes a weird bounce and, you know, everything can just be thrown away,” he said.
What about the prospect of preparing for the final point with a $1 million check in sight?
“You hate to lose,” Jovic said.
“That’s a great question—you’d almost prefer to lose. [in an earlier round].”
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