The quarterfinal match at the 2024 BNP Paribas Open between Carlos Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev lasted nine minutes. Then came the bees. An army of them.
A swarm of bees forced both players off Stadium 1, the second-largest tennis stadium in the world. A suspension of play, which has currently lasted over an hour, went into effect as a result. As of 4:30 p.m. Pacific, there is no scheduled time for a resumption of play. The majority of the bees gravitated towards the stadium’s spider camera, a camera located near the top of the stadium.
According to Alcaraz’s manager Albert Molina, Alcaraz was stung on the forehand by one of the bees. Mohamed Lahyani, the chair umpire of the match, was also reportedly stung.
At approximately 4 p.m., minutes after the incident, portions of the stadium had to be evacuated in order to accommodate the beekeepers. A beekeeper could be seen managing the swarm of bees, according to BNP Paribas Open’s social media accounts.
The incident comes during what was planned to be a highly anticipated quarterfinal match between Alcaraz, the defending champion, and Zverev. Notably, Zverev stunned Alcaraz at the Australian Open in January, defeating the World No. 2 in four sets. Zverev also leads the head-to-head 5-3.
Play continued on Stadium 2, the second-largest court at the BNP Paribas Open. Coco Gauff, one of two remaining American women in the tournament, currently faces Yue Yuan from China.
Main Photo Credit: Mike Frey-USA TODAY Sports
