WILD IGUANA WATCHES MIAMI OPEN
MIAMI: The first round game between Germany’s Tommy Haas and Jiri Vesely of the Czech Republic in the Miami Open will perhaps be remembered less for its tennis and more for the appearance of a huge wild iguana at the court.
The reptile ran onto the scoreboard when the match was being played and it led to temporary stoppage of the play. The umpire attempted to assure a concerned Vesely that the iguana posed no threat, “It’s not a dangerous animal,” but Vesley only replied: “I cannot concentrate.”
As the officials attempted to capture the iguana, the reptile jumped off the scoreboard and ran across the court. The officials finally managed to throw a towel over the animal and carry it from the court but by then the animal had climbed up the other scoreboard on the opposite baseline.
Haas later joked, “Maybe the iguana got the note that this is most likely the last time I’m playing here, and he wanted to say ‘Hi’ and take a peek or something.”
While Haas laughed through the experience, Vesely won the match when play resumed, beating Haas in three sets.
On the other hand, Young American Ernesto Escobedo pulled off a surprise 7-5, 0-6, 6-3 victory over Britain’s Dan Evans in the first round of the Miami Open. Escobedo will now face 25th-seed Fernando Verdasco in the second round.
Wildcard Ashleigh Barty beat Eugenie Bouchard 6-4, 5-7, 6-3 win to set up an allAustralian clash in the second round against 14th seed Samantha Stosur.