Photo Credit: Duane Preston
From the red dust of Alice Springs to the bright lights of Rod Laver Arena, Thomas Van Haaren’s path to the One Point Slam has been anything but conventional.
At just 22, Van Haaren is the Northern Territory’s qualifier for one of the most intriguing new events on the Australian Open calenda – a one-point shootout where amateurs, professionals and celebrities collide, and where a single rally can be worth one million dollars. For a player who grew up a long way from tennis’ traditional centres, the opportunity feels almost surreal.
“I’d seen it on social media months and months ago,” he says. “But I never really thought much of it. I see these things and I go, ‘Ah, that’ll never be me.’”
Then reality intervened – suddenly and unexpectedly. After spending six months overseas coaching tennis in the United States and travelling through Europe, Van Haaren returned home to Alice Springs. Within a week, a message arrived from the president of the local tennis club.
There was a One Point Slam qualifying tournament. It was happening the next night.
Alice Springs has just one tennis club. One draw. Eight players.
“Some of the other states had quite a few clubs involved,” he says. “But for us, it was just the one club.”
Van Haaren caught a fortunate break with a first-round bye, then found himself battling nerves in the final. “I felt horrific,” he admits. The match ended not with a winner, but a double fault from his opponent – a reminder of how unforgiving the format can be.
That single point booked him a place at the Northern Territory final in Darwin, nearly 1,500 kilometres away, making the trip north and doing it all again.
Six club champions. Another small draw. Another bye. In the semi-final, his serve carried him through. In the final, he stepped up to the line and trusted his instincts.
“I served and then hit a volley winner to finish it off.”
Just like that, a kid from Alice Springs was heading to Melbourne.
Van Haaren was born and raised in the heart of the Northern Territory. Tennis has been part of his life almost as long as he can remember. “I started playing when I was about four,” he says. “My older brother played, so I wanted to pick up a racquet as well.” His father, Joshua, runs an Indigenous giftware business, Utopia Australia, and sport was a constant presence in the family.
From ages four to 19, tennis was his main focus. He trained in Adelaide for a year, then earned a college tennis opportunity in the United States, competing in Nebraska in 2023. But geography, distance and reality began to weigh in. “Now I’m realising how much effort it is to travel and play, something that people in major cities don’t have to do as much.”
Back home, his long-time coach left after 15 years, and Van Haaren himself barely picked up a racquet through much of 2024 and 2025. He worked as a teacher’s aide during the week and helped run golf competitions on weekends, saving money and reassessing his future.
Tennis, he thought, might be on pause. Then came the One Point Slam.
In Melbourne, Van Haaren will be part of a 48-player field: 24 professionals, eight celebrity wildcards and 16 qualifiers – including the eight state and territory champions. He’s seen snippets of the other qualifiers online. “My mates have been sending me videos,” he says. “I think I used to play against the South Australian champion when I lived in Adelaide.”
Growing up, his idol was Novak Djokovic. Now, it’s Carlos Alcaraz. “He’s the same age as me,” Van Haaren says. “When he was starting to make it, I was still aspiring to be a tennis player. He was a big inspiration.”
Sharing a court with Alcaraz, even for one point, feels extraordinary.
Van Haaren knows exactly how he wants to play it. “If I’m serving, I back myself to take a point off anyone,” he says. “Returning is a different story.” Against the professionals, his plan is simple: serve and volley, end the point quickly, don’t get drawn into baseline exchanges. “That’s my highest chance.”
The nerves will come. They already have. “My entire body was jelly going into Darwin,” he admits. “This is a major step up.”
Still, there are advantages. Heat won’t faze him. “Today was about 36,” he says casually. “We usually average about 42 over December and January.” Melbourne’s summer? “Hopefully it’s really, really hot.”
There’s also pride in what he’s already achieved. His qualification has earned the Alice Springs Tennis Association $5,000 – money that hopes will help rebuild junior programs. “That was pretty cool,” he says. “To give something back.”
Beyond the prize money and the spotlight, Van Haaren knows this moment is about more than tennis. He plans to move to Adelaide next year to study teaching, driven by a love of working with kids. Tennis may not define his future – but for one unforgettable point, it takes centre stage.
“It’s going to be an amazing experience,” he says. And for a player from Australia’s geographic heart, that experience is already a victory.
Thomas will be travelling to Melbourne next week, training until he hits centre stage on the 14th of January. Good luck Thomas! The NT will be watching you on the big screen!
More Information of Thomas’s profile on the Tennis Australia Website HERE
There are two more ways that NT Tennis Clubs have a shot at BIG MONEY
Approximately 250 Australian tennis clubs ran a community 1 Point Slam event. Out of every club that participated, 33 were randomly selected for a professional pairing. Locals have plenty to cheer for, as Tennis Palmerston and Gardens Tennis Club were among those drawn, potentially aligning them with world-class icons like Alcaraz or Sinner.
When the final ball is struck at the Australian Open on January 14th, the impact will be felt far beyond the court. While the player chases a $1 million prize, their home club stands to gain a transformative $50,000 grant, proving that in the 1 Point Slam, one moment can change everything for an entire community.
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