Indian Wells: Bees Swarm Court As Alcaraz Beats Zverev

Carlos Alcaraz was stung on the side of the forehead when a swarm of bees descended on his Indian Wells quarter-final against Alexander Zverev.

Bees swarmed the court in California, forcing umpire Mohamed Lahyani to suspend play in the third game.

Defending champion Alcaraz triumphed 6-3 6-1 after a bee invasion forced a one-hour and 40-minute delay in the match.

“For sure the most unusual match I have ever played in my career,” Wimbledon champion Alcaraz said afterwards.

“I saw some bees around, but I thought it was just a few of them. But I saw the sky and there were thousands flying, stuck in my hair, going to me.

“It was crazy. I tried to stay away from them, but it was impossible.

“I’m a little bit afraid of them. I had to stay safe, and I was running everywhere.”

The spidercam, a TV camera that moves above the court on cables, particularly attracted the bees.

After the players cleared the court and ushers escorted spectators from one section of the stands, the tournament’s beekeeper arrived.

He vacuumed the bees out of the camera and into a cage for later release. This appeared to resolve the problem.

However, a few bees continued to trouble world number two Alcaraz on his return, and so the beekeeper was recalled.

He walked on to court to a jubilant reception, to spray the scoreboard before walking back through the crowd where he exchanged high fives and posed for selfies.

“This area, at this time of the year, can be a hotspot for bees, with all the flowers blooming and blossoming,” tournament organisers said in a statement.

“In addition, the bees can be attracted to low frequency sound waves, and music bass, as they feel the vibrations and are attracted to those locations.”