Aussie tennis fans have demanded refunds after being locked out of marquee matches at the Australian Open because the tournament's new virtual queue technology crashed. John Cain Arena and Margaret Court Arena uses a virtual queue system to manage unreserved seating at the Australian Open.
![[Fans had to line up for wristbands under a manual system to see matches on John Cain Arena]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/17/04/94198153-14294961-Fans_had_to_line_up_for_wristbands_under_a_manual_system_to_see_-a-21_1737087662360.jpg)
Introduced in 2024, this system allows fans with ground passes to scan a QR code displayed at the arenas, adding them to a waitlist. When seats become available, fans receive an SMS notification and have 30 minutes to claim their spot. The virtual queue aims to reduce physical waiting times, enabling attendees to explore Melbourne Park's amenities while awaiting seating.
![[The failure of the virtual queue system compounded already lengthy waiting times]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/17/04/94198091-14294961-The_failure_of_the_virtual_queue_system_compounded_already_lengt-a-22_1737087662361.jpg)
However, technical issues related to a QR code disrupted the system at John Cain Arena from just day three of the tournament, leading to the implementation of a manual wristband process. Unreserved ticket holders were forced to line up for wristbands after the virtual queue system at the Australian Open crashed.
Fans had to line up for wristbands under a manual system to see matches on John Cain Arena. Fans were required to obtain wristbands at designated times to access the arena, causing confusion and dissatisfaction among attendees. Wristbands had run out on Tuesday before Australia’s Alexei Popyrin took the court.
The system crashed again on Thursday, leaving many fans locked out of the premium matches because organisers had run out of wristbands or they had not been able to physically line up during the day to secure one. Organisers placed signs in John Cain Arena advising spectators about the situation but it only served to infuriate fans.
![[Australian Open tournament officials and Tennis Australia CEO Craig Tiley (pictured) have not spoken about the virtual queue system failures]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/17/04/94198097-14294961-Australian_Open_tournament_officials_and_Tennis_Australia_CEO_Cr-a-23_1737087662365.jpg)
