SUMMARY
- The quarterfinal match between Carlos Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev was interrupted by an army of bees.
- A beekeeper assured the safety of the players and the audience while tackling the tricky situation at Indian Wells.
The race at 2024 Indian Wells has almost come to an end. The semi-finalists have been confirmed as the fixtures have been drawn up. The quarterfinal matches were filled with plenty of action and spice. The match between Carlos Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev saw both players get attacked by a swarm of bees. But they were saved by the “beekeeper” just in the nick of time.
The heroic beekeeper was Lance Davis, who has been handling bees for the last 43 years. Davis has been part of Indian Wells since 2017. He had been assessing the situation at the courts for the past few days. Davis, without his gloves, took part care of the crisis for an hour and a half. He was cheered on by the fans while vacuuming the bees into a cage and returning them to their hives.
An American hero 🐝 #IndianWells | #TennisParadise pic.twitter.com/91owMnJoNi
— BNP Paribas Open (@BNPPARIBASOPEN) March 14, 2024
Davis runs the company Killer Bee Live Removal, which he founded in 1981. He also has a TV series, “The Killer Bee Catcher,” which was released last season consisting of 13 episodes. Davis, after his courageous act, explained that bees were the most important insect in the world. Alcaraz and Zverev stood in awe as they watched Davis casting his spell in court one.
Carlos Alcaraz faces the biggest obstacle in title defense at Indian Wells
The semifinal matches of the Indian Wells will feature three of the top five seeds. While Daniil Medvedev will face Tommy Paul for a place in the final, the other semifinal is guaranteed to be a classic one. Alcaraz will be up against Jannik Sinner, as the fans are awaiting the biggest blockbuster of Indian Wells this year. The pair will be playing their eighth match against each other on the tour.
Sinner leads the rivalry with four wins in seven matches. The Spaniard is on a two-match losing streak against Sinner. Each of their matches has at least seen one set going to the tiebreak. The Italian has the odds in his favor to record hatrick victories over Alcaraz. Sinner is on a 19-match winning streak and has not lost a match since November last season.
🔥 FIRE vs ICE 🧊
Carlos Alcaraz vs Jannik Sinner Part 8 is ON! Who wins?#TennisParadise pic.twitter.com/B7Yp4Zm2CE
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) March 15, 2024
The 20-year-old will be hoping to achieve a successful title defense at Indian Wells. Along with the title at stake, the victor in the semifinal will be the new world No. 2 after the event. Sinner is yet to lose a set at Indian Wells this season and has not spent more than an hour and 40 minutes in a match. He has hit 69 winners so far and has more than 75 percent of his net points.
Alcaraz has hit 72 winners in his first four matches and has only committed 15 unforced errors in his last three matches. He will look to drive his powerful forehand shots into Sinner’s backhand and push him further from the baseline. Sinner, meanwhile, will use his volleys to outrun Alcaraz and continue his brutal attack on the court.