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Who is amateur Jordan Smith that won $1M at Australian Open by beating Jannik Sinner?

No one had ever heard of the failed former pro until a magical night at the Australian Open that captivated the world at the "Million Dollar One Point Slam."
Matthew Graham|
Jan. 13, 2026: Jordan Smith was a world beater as the amateur who won $1 million at the Australian Open
Jan. 13, 2026: Jordan Smith was a world beater as the amateur who won $1 million at the Australian Open | IMAGO / AAP

The "Million Dollar One Point Slam" will be a storyline that will be hard to top for the actual Australian Open.

In a marketing master class, that as Taylor Fritz's girlfriend Morgan Riddle pointed out, should be replicated at every Grand Slam tournament (although then it will probably lose its charm), the Australian Open put on the one-night tournament that saw amateurs and celebrities try to take down the best professional tennis players in the world, including two-time defending champion Jannik Sinner, for a $1 million prize.

RELATED: Jannik Sinner shockingly loses 'match' to amateur for $1M prize at Australian Open

Jannik Sinner, Jordan Smith
Jannik Sinner hugs Jordan Smith after shockingly losing the point | IMAGO / PRESSE SPORTS

It was a cool million in Aussie currency, so that's $670,000 in US dollars. Not bad for a day of work.

Thanks in part to a stunning double fault by the four-time major winner Sinner, former professional Jordan Smith, 29, did the impossible and took down those in his path to win the "Million Dollar One Point Slam" after world No. 117 Joanna Garland missed a backhand to complete the Cinderella upset.

RELATED: Taylor Fritz's gf Morgan Riddle stuns in black minidress selfie as US Open begins

"Oh my goodness me, he's won a million dollars," the announcer screamed. So who is Jordan Smith?

RELATED: Alexander Zverev causes stir with new girlfriend Caroline Daur at Australian Open

Smith only made $6,388 in his playing career

Smith never made it to the big time like Sinner, and world No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz, who also participated. His highest ranking was 1,171 in 2023, so Smith smartly retired and works at his family's tennis facility in the Melbourne, Australia area.

RELATED: Trinity Rodman stuns in date night dress with Ben Shelton before Aussie Open

No offense to Smith, and it truly is an amazing sports moment that swept up social media, but Sinner and his peers weren't exactly going after the former No. 1,171 player in the world like 2026's first Grand Slam had officially started, which it does on Sunday.

But Smith doesn't care, with one magical night at the Aussie Open giving him plus-100,000-times earnings in one night than he had made in his entire professional career.

Plus he can brag he's the first man to beat Sinner at the Aussie Open since 2023, and the first man to defeat the world No. 2 and Alcaraz in the same tournament since Andrey Rublev in 2024 at the Madrid Open.

Not too shabby.

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Matthew Graham
MATTHEW GRAHAM

Matthew Graham has over 20 years of media experience and oversees The Athlete Lifestyle On SI. He has had previous leadership roles at NBC Sports, Yahoo, and USA TODAY, where he co-founded For The Win (named Best Mobile Site by Digiday). He has also written for ESPN, Cosmopolitan, US Weekly, People, E! Online, and FHM, covering major sports and entertainment events like the Oscars, the Golden Globes, NBA Finals, Super Bowl, and winning the Yahoo Superstar Award for coverage of the Olympics.

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