Iguana stops play and alligator invades golf course

Tommy Haas and Jiri Vesely's first-round match at the Miami Masters held an unexpected pause when an iguana wandered on the court yesterday.

The foot-long reptile appeared on the electronic courtside scoreboard, sufficiently spooking Vesely so that he could not continue playing, despite the umpire repeatedly telling him it was harmless.

It then proceeded to lead organisers a merry dance as they tried to catch it until, after a quick dash across the court, it was snared under a towel and escorted from the venue.

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Veteran Haas used the delay to strike a psychological blow against his opponent and took a selfie with the iguana in the background – but Vesely had the last laugh as he progressed to the next round.

It's not the first time a rogue animal has disrupted a sporting event – and not just iguanas. Earlier this week, golfers Cody Gribble and Smylie Kaufman had run-ins with alligators on the course of the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill, Orlando.

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Last year, England's first Test in its cricket tour of India was interrupted by a stray dog on the outfield, prompting the umpires to call an early tea.

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But Mexican football club Pachuca went one better than that in January, when their game against Chiapas was invaded first by a dog and then a cat.

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