Mad March

Who are the biggest Miami Open tennis fans? Rogue iguanas

By David Kane Mar 04, 2023
Mad March

The celebrity cameos that almost stole the show at Indian Wells and Miami

By Baseline Staff Mar 06, 2023
Mad March

That time Rafael Nadal was on the massage table when an earthquake hit near Indian Wells

By Baseline Staff Mar 03, 2023
Mad March

When the BNP Paribas Open became "Indian UnWells" amid viral outbreak

By Stephanie Livaudais Mar 02, 2023
Mad March

Relive the windiest Indian Wells final between Ana Ivanovic and Vera Zvonareva

By David Kane Mar 01, 2023
Lifestyle

United States of Tennis: Black Girls Tennis Club liberates Black women and girls both on and off the court

By Liya Davidov Nov 21, 2024
Social

Jasmine Paolini—finally!—gets her elusive photo with Rafael Nadal

By Baseline Staff Nov 20, 2024
Nadal's farewell

Rafael Nadal honored by Nike with stunning video projection at Place du Trocadero in Paris

By Baseline Staff Nov 20, 2024
Nadal's farewell

Serena Williams lists the ways that Rafael Nadal inspired her in tribute to retiring Spaniard

By Baseline Staff Nov 19, 2024
Nadal's farewell

'Your old friend is always cheering for you': Roger Federer pens letter to retiring Rafael Nadal

By Baseline Staff Nov 19, 2024
Mad March

Who are the biggest Miami Open tennis fans? Rogue iguanas

Not even a change of venue could keep these reptilian enthusiasts away from the action, showing up in Crandon Park and the Hard Rock Stadium as recently as 2019.

ByDavid Kane

Published Mar 04, 2023

WATCH: Swiatek sealed the 2022 Miami Open title with no help from local iguanas.

Advertising

The steamy swamp weather of South Florida has long proven perfect for tennis—and also iguanas.

These stoic, slow-moving creatures are a staple of the region, and no Miami Open ticket price has proven too steep as the reptiles have regularly made their presence known at the height of the Sunshine Swing.

The most notorious example came in 2017, when the iguana affectionately known as Iggy ran roughshod through Crandon Park, interrupting a practice for Kristina Mladenovic…

...and later halting a match between Tommy Haas and Jiri Vesely:

Advertising

Iggy’s brush with fame even resulted in the launch of an official Twitter account.

Advertising

Though Iggy appeared to be in the tournament’s rearview mirror when 2019 brought the debut of a new venue, not even the larger Hard Rock Stadium could keep iguanas away from the action.

Might we witness another iguana invasion in 2023?