Game, set, match, bees.
Tennis fans weren't thrilled with the bee spin in Indian Wells on Thursday when a swarm of bees interrupted a BNP Paribas Open quarterfinal match.
Referee Mohamed Lahyani said play would be stopped due to a “bee invasion” in Stadium 1, after which a video showed him being stung. He then fled to the locker room, according to Tennis Majors, as did Spanish professional tennis player Carlos Alcaraz and his German opponent, Alexander Zverev.
“The first time for everything,” the announcer was heard saying.
Bees abounded on the field while Alcaraz ran from one side to the other, trying not to be stung, and they collected in the spider cam, a camera suspended by cables.
The insects declared victory, at least temporarily.
Alcaraz, the defending BNP Paribas Open champion, was playing Zverev, who defeated Alcaraz in his last match at the Australian Open.
Alcaraz defeated Fabián Marozsan 6-3 on Tuesday to advance to the quarterfinals of the BNP Paribas Open.
