A peculiar incident transpired during the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells on Thursday evening, causing an unforeseen disruption to the match involving Carlos Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev. Amidst the intense competition, a swarm of bees infiltrated centre court, leading the chair umpire to halt play in Stadium 1.
The abrupt invasion of bees resulted in temporary chaos, catching both players and officials off guard. Umpire Mohamed Lahyani found himself being stung on court, while Alcaraz’s agent later confirmed that the young Spaniard had also fallen victim to a bee sting on the forehead. In response, Alcaraz promptly departed the court to seek refuge in the locker room, with Zverev following suit as the horde of bees descended upon the court.
The presence of the bees was not only felt physically, but also visually, as the match cameras captured the insects swarming and forming a large cluster on the spider cam above the court. The uncertain situation left the fate of the match hanging in the balance, with spectators and officials pondering when play would resume. Some even joked that it could take a significant amount of time before the match could continue.
This is not the first instance of bees disrupting professional tennis, as a similar incident occurred at the WTA 1000 Guadalajara Open in 2022, resulting in a 90-minute delay before the issue could be resolved. As the tennis world eagerly awaits the resolution of this unusual interruption in Indian Wells, one thing is certain – the uninvited guests unmistakably made their presence known on the centre court.