Australian Open organisers faced criticism on Sunday as a record-breaking opening day saw frustrated fans endure long queues and confusion over ticket availability.

Melbourne Park welcomed 73,235 spectators during the day session, surpassing the previous single-day record of 68,883 set in 2019. Demand for entry was so high that officials paused sales of the popular, lower-cost “ground pass” tickets within the first hour of play.

Ground passes, priced at A$65 ($43) for adults during day sessions, provide largely unrestricted access to the minor courts and are a favourite among fans seeking to see more matches at the tournament.

Heightened security following last month’s Bondi Beach shooting in Sydney added to the delays, with hundreds of spectators waiting under the hot sun in long, winding queues outside the gates. Inside the venue, additional lines formed at the minor courts as fans hoped to catch a glimpse of live Grand Slam action.

Tournament director Craig Tiley explained that only more expensive tickets for the main showcourts were initially available, but many fans remained unaware as they waited outside.

Josh Main, visiting from the Netherlands, described the experience as a disappointment during a family trip. “We went to look for tickets but there was a big line, so I thought, are we in the right line?” he told Reuters. “They told us there are no tickets left, so we can’t get in. They did say there were tickets left for Rod Laver Arena, but we’re not going to sit there today and it’s expensive … I think they said it was 300 bucks or something.”

Local fans also expressed frustration. Melbourne resident Elton Yu said he was surprised to find no ground passes available. “Never expected to not have any tickets for the ground pass, which I always do,” he said. Meanwhile, Susan Walsh, who had purchased arena tickets, said her group had hoped to enter earlier. “We tried to buy a ground pass and they just told us it was only tickets that were $229 per person. Didn’t want to spend that much money … So, a bit disappointed.”

Tiley reassured fans that the pause applied only to the Sunday day session and that ground passes would remain available for the evening. “We’ve had to pause them because obviously we want people to come on site and have a great time,” he said. “There’s still the ‘After 5’ ground passes available, which is A$49—come on-site for that.”

Tennis Australia (TA) encouraged fans to book tickets in advance and said crowd numbers are continually monitored at Melbourne Park. “Tickets will become available as capacity allows,” a spokeswoman said.

After suffering significant losses during COVID-19 restrictions, the Australian Open has recovered to become a commercial powerhouse, generating hundreds of millions of dollars to support tennis in Australia. Last year, a record 1.28 million fans attended the tournament, up from 1.11 million the previous year, and organisers expect this year’s total attendance to set another record.