Bee Invasion Interrupts Indian Wells Quarterfinal at BNP Paribas Open

A surprising occurrence took place at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden during the BNP Paribas Open‘s men’s quarterfinal match between Carlos Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev. As the players were in action, a swarm of bees invaded the centre court, causing a temporary halt in play.

Chair umpire Mohamed Lahyani was quick to announce the interruption to the match due to the bee invasion, much to the surprise of the audience at the prestigious Indian Wells tournament.

World number two, Alcaraz, found himself in the midst of the bee swarm while trying to serve. With his racquet, he attempted to fend off the bees before seeking safety in the locker room, followed by Zverev.

Not only did the players face the bee invasion, but the bees were also attracted to the aerial camera hovering over the court, as well as the TV camera lenses positioned courtside.

The tournament organisers called for a local beekeeper to handle the situation. The beekeeper arrived and commenced the removal of the bees, especially focusing on the swarms around the aerial camera.

After a delay lasting one hour and 48 minutes, play resumed between Alcaraz and Zverev, with Alcaraz emerging victorious in a 6-3, 6-1 win.

In the upcoming matches, Alcaraz is set to face Jannik Sinner, the Australian Open champion, who maintained his unbeaten streak by defeating Jiri Lehecka. Meanwhile, Coco Gauff secured a spot in the women’s semi-finals after defeating Yue Yuan, and will advance to face either Marta Kostyuk or Anastasia Potapova.

The beekeeper who assisted in resolving the situation was identified as Lance Davis, the president of Palm Desert’s Killer Bee Live Removal, ensuring that the Indian Wells tournament could continue without further disruptions.