A first-round match at the Miami Open experienced a truly bizarre interruption when an iguana casually wandered onto the tennis court.
The prestigious Masters 1000 event kicked off in Florida yesterday, and it didn`t take long for some unexpected Florida wildlife to make an appearance.
The first-round match between Elena-Gabriela Ruse and Polina Kudermetova on Court 7 was underway when the unusual spectator decided to join.
Just two points into the crucial third set, an iguana made its way across the lines of the court and onto the playing surface.
Play was paused as a worker had to gently encourage the iguana to leave the court using an umbrella.
Unfazed by the reptilian visitor, the Miami crowd, likely accustomed to such Floridian encounters, remained calm throughout the incident.
Once the iguana had departed, the match was quickly able to continue.
Kudermetova, aged 21, had previously won the second set 7-6, leveling the match after Ruse took the first set 6-1.
However, Ruse, 27, recovered her focus after the interruption to win the deciding third set 6-2.
Ruse, currently ranked No. 50 in the world, is now set to face the 29th seed, Magdalena Frech, in the second round of the tournament.
In other Miami Open action on the same day, Naomi Osaka, a four-time Grand Slam champion, celebrated a victory over Yuliia Starodubtseva with scores of 3-6, 6-4, 6-3.
Osaka, a former world No. 1, was competing in only her second match since returning from an injury sustained at the Australian Open.
Emma Raducanu is also scheduled to begin her Miami Open campaign later today, facing wildcard entrant Sayaka Ishii.
British No. 1 Katie Boulter is also preparing to compete against Peyton Stearns.
In men`s qualifying, British players Jacob Fearnley and Billy Harris both successfully advanced to the main draw.
Harris will face American wildcard Eliot Spizzirri, while Fearnley is set to play against Frenchman Benjamin Bonzi.
Jack Draper, the recent champion at Indian Wells, received a bye for the first round and will play his first match against the winner of the match between Roberto Bautista Agut and Jakub Mensik.
