‘Smiling assassin’ Jordan Smith basks in spotlight after hitting $1m tennis jackpot

Pending tax advice, tennis coach Jordan Smith is Australia’s newest millionaire, thrust into the global spotlight after beating top professionals in the One Point Slam on Wednesday night.

Smith’s improbable run to the $1m prize made him a magnet on Thursday morning at Melbourne Park, amid more than a dozen local and international interviews, selfies, promotions and autographs.

At 10.30am, having slept for less than three hours and with no food in his stomach, Smith was just trying to do his best with all the attention. “No one’s really experienced this before, right?” he said. “So waking up, yeah, I didn’t really know what to expect.”

Smith was standing just outside Rod Laver Arena, the scene where 13 hours earlier he had lived the ultimate amateur sporting dream. AFL icon Bailey Smith was his first scalp, after a solid serve forced an error on the Geelong footballer’s return. Next was Laura Pigossi, the world No 86 who he ousted in a tight rally.

Round three brought Jannik Sinner, the two-time defending Australian Open champion, who froze against Smith and faulted. The Australian put his hands on his head in disbelief, running towards the net with his now-trademark grin. The tale was only to get taller.

The 29-year-old regularly works 50 hours a week at his parents’ tennis academy in the Sydney suburb of Castle Hill, and once chased a future on the professional tour. He is now best known around the courts of Sydney’s Hills District as the “smiling assassin”, a name given to Smith by Mr O’Hara, his year seven teacher at Oak Hill College in Castle Hill.

“I always do smile, no matter really what,” Smith said. “That’s what a lot of people I play in matches, they say it’s so annoying because I’m just smiling the whole time. But no, I do enjoy it.”

A strong serve wide took care of Amanda Anisimova, a finalist at both Wimbledon and the US Open last year, in the quarters of the winner-takes-all event. But he still had to beat two more professionals, Pedro Martinez and Joanna Garland, to secure the grand prize.

His girlfriend, cyber and IP lawyer Jessica Brand, was watching the incredible evening unfold in the stands alongside Smith’s parents and friends. The pair have been dating only a year, but have known each other much longer.

Brand has been coached by Smith’s father since she was eight, and both families are regulars in the local tennis community since then.

“We all jumped up, we were all shaking, all of our stuff was on the floor, we were just …,” she said, momentarily losing her words. “It was unbelievable, so I think we all just wanted to see Jordan afterwards.”

The pair had been hoping to go to Japan this year, as well as New Zealand to see Brand’s family. Europe in 2027 was also on the bucket list. “They’re getting more likely now,” Smith said, smiling as ever.

The hours since his triumph have been a blur of TV cameras and autographs. “It’s sort of just a ‘J Smith’, I need to probably fix that up,” he said.

Smith is yet to see the money, and is not sure whether it will be subject to tax. A million-dollar income attracts a bill to the ATO of more than $400,000. “I’m not sure if it is going in tax or not, or if it’s prize, but I’ll sort that out a bit later, if anyone wants to help me,” he said.

There has been a fixation within the press on his desire to use the winnings to buy property in Sydney, where the median price of a house is close to $2m. “It’ll help obviously a lot, but in Sydney at the moment, it’s very difficult, that’s why I’m still at home.” Smith said.

“It’s going to help me for sure but I haven’t really thought too much about the money, just enjoying the experience, and just to be able to play centre court on Rod Laver Arena, play all the other professionals and celebrities and amateurs.”

Smith admitted he may not remember much of the past 24 hours, but some memories will linger. Jockey Damien Oliver, who he describes as “so down to earth”, took photos of the tennis coach alongside Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, who was excited for the Australian when he won the final.

“I even asked Alcaraz for some advice against Jannik, and he’s like, ‘just pray’,” Smith said.

Smith recognises he represents a tennis fairytale, but also that this moment in the spotlight will be fleeting. He wants to be remembered in simple terms. “For me, just a guy from Sydney, Castle Hill, with a big smile,” he said. “Just a guy that loves tennis.”

Click here to read article