Naomi Osaka launches the Breakthrough Room at Australian Open 2020

She’s known for her skills on the court but today tennis champion Naomi Osaka took on a competitive challenge with a difference – the Breakthrough Room – a new technology inspired experience by Mastercard.

Navigating her way through the futuristic underground complex, Naomi gave fans a sneak peek of the immersive pop-up, which launches today at the Australian Open.

The Breakthrough Room invites Australian Open 2020 consumers to work their way through the tech vortex for the chance to win an exclusive package to the men’s finals at Australian Open 2021.

With different challenges at every turn, teams will have a maximum of six minutes to complete the game that entails:

• Briefing Room – before teams start the game, they must select their team name and collect a device that’s used to make payments and provide clues
• Challenge One – teams must arrange audio pieces in the correct order to form the Mastercard Sonic melody. The sound will chime when teams complete a challenge correctly
• Challenge Two – teams must construct a token by tapping the correct puzzle pieces from the touch-sensitive walls. The token protects the team’s method of payment
• Challenge Three – teams must use clues to find and buy courtside tickets, a nod to the prize on offer.

Commenting on the experience, Naomi Osaka said: “Technology and tennis are my two big passions, so I was feeling pretty confident going into the Breakthrough Room. It’s a little harder than it looks, but I had a lot of fun! Good luck to everyone who takes on the challenge.”

Completing the challenge in just 3:36 minutes Naomi set the bar for teams that enter. The top times go up on a leader board in the Mastercard Innovation Hub. The team that completes the challenge in the quickest time will win Reserve Tickets to the AO21 men’s finals, as well as flights and accommodation in a five-star hotel.

The challenge takes consumers on a fun and futuristic journey through the world of payments and the concepts of the Mastercard technology that goes into making every tap secure and seamless. From voice recognition to biometrics, and even secure payment technology such as tokenisation, the experience has been designed to bring to life the invisible protection behind every Mastercard payment.

Commenting on the Breakthrough Room, Rich Wormald, Division President, Australasia, Mastercard said: “We’re excited to bring tennis and technology together with a first-of-its-kind experience that gives fans an opportunity to engage with concepts that underpin the technology and innovation at Mastercard.

Fans who complete the Breakthrough Room in under six minutes can also tap their Mastercard to receive a Priceless Surprise courtesy of Mastercard vending machines dispensing prizes ranging from gift vouchers to accessories.

Fans can use a Mastercard debit, prepaid or credit card or contactless device to receive one of the Priceless Surprises.

Mastercard is the Official Payment Partner of Australian Open 2020.

What: The Breakthrough Room

When: Monday 20 January – Sunday 2 February

Time: 10:00am – 7:00pm (note: gate times may fluctuate for the finals weekend)

Where: Mastercard Innovation Hub, Melbourne Park Sports and Entertainment, Batman Avenue, Victoria, Australia 3000

Assets available:
Naomi images available HERE