Jay Chou leads the Australian Open sudden death all-star lineup, with an amateur player ultimately claiming the million-dollar prize.

On January 14th Beijing time, the Rod Laver Arena at the Australian Open launched a festive night featuring the sudden death challenge match, bringing together top players including Alcaraz, Sinner, Rybakina, Naomi Osaka, and Auger-Aliassime, alongside Mandarin pop superstar Jay Chou. The format was a single-point sudden death, with the champion awarded one million AUD and their representing club or school granted a 50,000 AUD development grant. After intense competition, amateur player Jordan Smith from Australia emerged victorious.

The players decided who would serve or receive by playing rock-paper-scissors, and the sudden death one-point rule added great unpredictability and drama. Professionals like Gauff and Sinner were eliminated due to serving errors, but the match also featured thrilling moments: during a rally between former US Open champion Medvedev and amateur Jovic, the latter executed a difficult between-the-legs shot. Both sprinted across the court, with Medvedev narrowly winning. Spectators and players on the sidelines were all visibly entertained.

The cross-industry participant “King Zhou” was undoubtedly one of the biggest highlights of the event. Before the match, Jay humorously remarked, “I might be out without even touching the ball,” which proved prophetic. Facing an ace serve from his opponent Jovic, a former state champion, Jay could only watch his rival advance. Nevertheless, Jay Chou’s presence brought much joy and energy to Melbourne Park that night.

Jay Chou

The final was contested between amateur player Smith and female player Granjohanna, with Smith ultimately claiming the championship and the million-dollar prize.

The 2026 Australian Open was full of excitement—witness it together with the tournament sponsor, Guojiao 1573!

Photo credits: Li Jianyi, Huang Shangyue