Play had already been suspended in Brisbane due to rain before Show Court 2 had a deadly snake slither onto it. Thiem admitted that he is a big fan of exotic animals, but was worried about the venomous creature, especially in such close proximity to spectators.
“I really love animals, especially exotic ones,” Thiem said. “But they said it was a really poisonous snake and it was close to the ballkids, so it was a really dangerous situation. It’s something that has never happened to me and is something I’ll definitely never forget.”
Thiem will face either Italian Giulio Zeppieri or another Australian wildcard, Omar Jasika, in the final qualifying round. “He was playing very well. He was serving extremely well I thought,” Thiem added as he reflected on the win over McCabe. “It was a good win in the end. Wins like today are really important. I didn’t feel amazing on court, but still pulled out the win.”
