Thomas Van Haaren from Alice Springs Tennis Association has been crowned the AO 1 Point Slam NT Champion and will progress to the AO 1 Point Slam Main Draw at Melbourne Park, competing for $1 million in prize money.
Thomas claimed victory over Levi Mclean from Gove Peninsula Tennis Club - two players who travelled the furthest to get to the Darwin International Tennis Centre.
Thomas is a 22-year-old who grew up in Alice Springs and went to Nebraska for college tennis in 2023. He came back to Alice Springs in 2024, adapting from synthetic grass to hard court to win point-by-point, his opportunity to play at Melbourne Park.
As one of eight State/Territory Champions, Thomas will receive return airfares to Melbourne, two nights’ accommodation, and the ultimate AO Player experience.
As Thomas represented Alice Springs Tennis Association, he has also won the club a $5,000 tennis grant.
“Super grateful for the opportunity and to play a couple of points and share the court with the best in the world - I’m super excited to get to Melbourne and give it a go,” Van Haaren said.
The State/Territory Championships will cap off more than 200 community events held nationwide, where players battled for a coveted spot in the Main Draw.
The 1 Point Slam Driven by Kia is a fast-paced, high-stakes showdown that will see 48 players pros, amateurs and celebrity wildcards battle it out for $1 million in prize money in a one-point knockout format on Wednesday 14 January under the lights of Rod Laver Arena.
MORE: The Million Dollar 1 Point Slam is coming to Australian Open 2026
World No.1 Carlos Alcaraz and Nick Kyrgios are already confirmed, with more top names to be announced soon.
Kia is raising the stakes even further, donating a brand-new EV3 to the last amateur standing in the 1 Point Slam main draw.
“The AO 1 Point Slam is tennis at its most exciting – one point, one shot at glory. It’s fast, unfiltered and open to everyone,” Tennis Australia CEO Craig Tiley said.
“This event is the ultimate grassroots-to-Grand Slam experience. It’s exciting to see our eight State Champions being crowned across the country who will have a shot to live out their Grand Slam dream on the biggest stage this January.”
“We’ve had a ball hosting the 1 Point Slam events and watching the NT tennis community embrace the format. It’s high stakes drama with every decision and so much fun seeing students face-off against coaches, parents against kids, and tonight – club versus club,” NT CEO Tania Tandora said.
“Our NT winner gets the experience of a lifetime representing their club and the NT on Rod Laver Arena in January. We are so excited.”
How it works
AO 1 Point Slam Community Events
- Local events will take place nationwide from Friday 7 November to Thursday 18 December 2025.
- Winners from each event qualify for their respective State Championship.
- The eight State Champions will progress directly into the AO 1 Point Slam Main Draw at Melbourne Park.
- Players can find and enter events at tennis.com.au/one-point-slam.
AO 1 Point Slam Main Draw
The 48-player draw on Rod Laver Arena includes:
- 24 professional players
- 8 State Champions
- 8 Qualifiers
- 8 Wildcards
The winner takes all – $1 million in prize money, with the winning player’s club or school receiving a $50,000 tennis grant.
AO 1 Point Slam State Championships
NT
Friday 5 December
Darwin International Tennis Centre
Level 1/9 Abala Rd
Marrara NT 0812
ACT
Saturday 20 December
Canberra Tennis Centre
3 Riggall Pl
Lyneham ACT 2602
SA
Saturday 20 December
Peake Gardens Riverside Tennis Club
6/24 Bice St
Marleston SA 5033
Vic
Saturday 20 December
Fawkner Park Tennis Centre
65 Toorak Rd West
South Yarra VIC 3141
Qld
Saturday 20 December
University of Queensland Tennis Club
Blair Dr
St Lucia QLD 4067
Tas
Saturday 20 December
Campbell Town Tennis Club
57 High St
Campbell Town TAS 7210
WA
Saturday 20 December
Next Gen Tennis Centre
21 Kings Park Rd
Kings Park WA 6005
NSW
Sunday 21 December
2025 Kia North Shore Open
Northern Suburbs Tennis Association
18 Talus Street
Naremburn NSW 2065
Tickets for the AO 1 Point Slam main draw event will go on-sale in December via Ticketmaster.