One of the world's most venomous snakes gatecrashed former US Open champion Dominic Thiem's clash at the Brisbane International.<br /><br />The former world No3 was a set down to 20-year-old Australian James McCabe in a first-round qualifying match when fans courtside spotted the deadly snake.<br /><br />Security personnel quickly arrived, but the umpire had to stop play as the snake slithered onto the court.<br /><br />The beast was later identified as a 50cm Eastern Brown Snake - one of Australia's most deadly reptiles - and was soon safely removed allowing play to resume.<br /><br />The snake was caught by local expert Lucas Perrett.<br /><br />Speaking to 9News Queensland, Perrett later revealed: "My wife is a massive tennis fan, we have tickets for next Saturday and Sunday.<br /><br />"And when I texted her going 'I'm going to pick up a snake from the Brisbane International' she went 'no way, get me an autograph'."<br /><br />The venom of an Eastern Brown Snake contains a deadly cocktail of poisons, making it the second most dangerous snake in the world.<br /><br />The most powerful is a neurotoxin, which paralyzes the nerves of the heart, lungs, and diaphragm, suffocating the victim.<br /><br />If untreated, victims can die within 30 minutes of cardiac arrest.
