TENNIS/Jay Chou to make Australian Open debut in '1 Point Slam'

Taipei, Jan. 12 (CNA) Jay Chou (周杰倫), the globally renowned King of Mandopop, is set to grace the courts of the Australian Open for the first time as a competitor in the high-stakes 1 Point Slam.

The Australian Open announced the news on its official Instagram account on Monday afternoon, welcoming Chou -- who will celebrate his 47th birthday this Sunday -- to the star-studded lineup of the tournament's signature warm-up event.

"From being the King of Mandarin Pop filling stadiums with his music to being 'Kato' from The Green Hornet and now shifting focus to being a dedicated tennis player -- welcome @jaychou to the 1 Point Slam and #AusOpen," the post read.

Chou shared the announcement on his own Instagram story, saying: "I'm going to compete in the Australian Open. I will donate it all if I win the championship and the AUD$1 million (US$670,970) prize money."

"Remember to watch the Australian Open on Jan. 14. It's just a one-point game, so I may get knocked out without even touching the ball," he wrote in a subsequent story, adding that he would prefer to serve the point so that "at least I can touch the ball."

The official Australian Open post also drew a comment from Chou's close friend, retired basketball star Jeremy Lin (林書豪).

"You can beat them because you beat me. You should thank me for providing training as an opponent who is stronger than the ones you'll face in the competition," Lin joked.

Inaugurated by Tennis Australia in 2025, the 1 Point Slam is a cornerstone of the Grand Slam's "Opening Week" entertainment festival. Australian professional Omar Jasika won the inaugural edition, taking home AUD$60,000.

For the 2026 edition, the prize pool has been massively increased. The 48-player "flash" draw features 24 professionals -- including world No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz, defending champion Jannik Sinner, and Naomi Osaka -- competing alongside celebrities and amateur qualifiers.

To add to the unpredictability, players use a game of rock-paper-scissors to determine who serves the single, deciding point.

Chou took up tennis in recent years to support his son's interest in the sport and has since earned a reputation among his celebrity peers for his skill.

On Jan. 1, Jeremy Lin uploaded a video to Instagram showing him jokingly "muting" Chou on the app after being soundly defeated by the singer on the court.