Amateur Stuns Pros: Joanna Garland Falls to Million-Dollar Upset at Aussie Open
Good evening, everyone. What a night it was at Melbourne Park and not for the usual reasons you’d expect. The Australian Open’s Million Dollar One Point Slam turned the tennis world upside down and at the heart of it was Taiwan’s own Joanna Garland.
Garland, a 24-year-old ranked 117 in the world, entered the event quietly. She had lost early in the Australian Open qualifiers just days before, so expectations were low. But on this stage, anything could happen. In quick-fire, single-point matches, Garland stunned some of the biggest names in the sport—she beat Alexander Zverev, a former Wimbledon finalist and even Australia’s own Nick Kyrgios, much to the crowd’s delight. She also took down Maria Sakkari and Donna Vekic, two top women professionals, making her the surprise star of the tournament.
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The format itself is wild—each match is decided by just one point and professionals only get one chance to serve. A game of rock-paper-scissors decides who serves first. It’s chaotic, unpredictable and exactly why we saw amateurs like New South Wales state champion Jordan Smith rise to the occasion. Smith, a 29-year-old coach and former US college player, defeated several pros, including two-time defending Australian Open champion Jannik Sinner, before finally facing Garland in the grand finale.
In that final moment, the crowd watched as Garland and Smith battled for a life-changing A$1 million prize. It was a surreal mix of nerves and excitement. Ultimately, Garland came up just short, pushing a backhand wide and Smith walked away with the prize and, no doubt, a future home in Sydney. But Garland wasn’t a loser in any meaningful sense—she had captured the imagination of the fans, proving that an underdog with grit and focus can go toe-to-toe with tennis’ elite.
Beyond the drama, this event is reshaping how tennis can engage audiences. It’s playful, it’s high-stakes and it gives amateurs a rare shot at glory. The energy at Rod Laver Arena was electric, with fans cheering wildly for every upset. Even the professionals who fell early stuck around to watch the finale, highlighting the respect and excitement this format generates.
So while Joanna Garland didn’t take home the million-dollar check, she delivered one of the most memorable performances in recent tennis history. And for Jordan Smith, it’s the beginning of a very new chapter—one that reminds us all that in sport, as in life, anything is possible when opportunity meets courage.
The Australian Open has found a way to mix thrill, tension and spectacle and the fans—and perhaps a few million-dollar dreamers—will be talking about it for years to come.
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