Kuznetsova on One Point Slam Shocker: 'The Winner Was the One Who Needed It Most'

$1M Prize, Top Stars Ousted, Unimaginable Final: Kuznetsova's Take on One Point Slam Fairy Tale Rings True

© AFP

Clément Gehl

le 14/01/2026 à 13h55

1 min to read

Garland Joanna Kuznetsova Svetlana

The One Point Slam exhibition, which promised A$1 million to the winner, featured a surprise final: Joanna Garland, world No. 117, against Jordan Smith, an amateur player and New South Wales state champion.

Yet the draw included big names: Iga Swiatek, Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner and Amanda Anisimova. For Svetlana Kuznetsova, it came down to motivation—even though she admitted feeling bad for Garland.

"I Felt Sorry for Joanna"

In comments relayed by Championat, she said: "I think the organizers expected to see the top contenders in the final, but it turns out the winner was the one who needed it most.

I felt sorry for Joanna in the final: I wanted her to claim the grand prize and use it to boost her career."