The Brisbane International qualifying match between Dominic Thiem and Australian James McCabe faced an unexpected 40-minute suspension on Saturday when a snake made its way onto the court. 

McCabe had clinched the first set with a 6-2 victory against the 2020 US Open champion just before the interruption. 

The snake, identified as an eastern brown snake, a highly venomous species, was discovered among the electrical wires alongside the court, visible to spectators.

Officials promptly halted play, calling in security staff for assistance. A specialist was brought in to capture the 50-cm reptile. 

Thiem, expressing concern for the safety of ballkids and acknowledging the danger posed by the poisonous snake, stated, “It’s something that has never happened to me and is something I’ll definitely never forget,” in a post-match interview.

Ranked 98th globally due to injury setbacks, Thiem mounted a comeback in the second set, securing a hard-fought 2-6, 7-6(4), 6-4 victory. This win ensured his entry into the main draw of the pre-Australian Open tournament.

As the tennis world gears up for the Australian Open 2024, commencing on January 14th in Melbourne, former world number one Rafael Nadal is set to make his comeback at the Brisbane tournament on Sunday. 

Nadal, partnering with Marc Lopez, his 2016 Olympic gold medal-winning teammate, will participate in the doubles event and face a qualifier in the singles event, beginning a potential farewell tour after recovering from a persistent hip injury that required surgery in June.

In the women’s draw, Naomi Osaka, a four-time major winner from Japan, is making her return after a maternity break. She is scheduled to face Tamara Korpatsch in her first match back on the court.