"Craziest thing I've ever seen happen on a tennis court": Daniil Medvedev and Coco Gauff react to incredulous bee invasion at Indian Wells
Tennis NewsFriday, 15 March 2024 at 11:00
Carlos Alcaraz was embroiled in one of the most bizarre moments ever in tennis history on Thursday night as bees suddenly invaded his match with Alexander Zverev at Indian Wells.
Alcaraz sealed the win in the end after a lengthy delay, but it was very much a moment that won't be forgotten in a hurry including by the Spaniard and the bees were a main topic of conversation in press conferences.
“For sure (it was) the most unusual match I have ever played in my career,” Alcaraz said post match. “I’ve never experienced something like that; I’ve never seen something like that. So I think I will remember that match because of that. I think everybody will remember this situation, and we found it as a funny thing. That’s for sure.
“I won the first point of the third game of the match, and I was ready to serve to the next point. I saw some bees around, but I thought it was just a few of them — just not too many. But I saw the sky and there was thousands, 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 yeah, I was running everywhere.”
Daniil Medvedev took a different tact also and said it was a once in a lifetime occurrance and one he was glad he wasn't part of. “I’m a bit scared of insects, to be honest. Whenever there is a bee, everyone is, like, don’t move. As we saw with the guy, normally they don’t bite…. I usually sit like this for five seconds and then I’m like, ‘Wah, just get away.’ I would be probably sprinting out of the court.
“But, yeah, (it was a) crazy situation. I don’t think this (has) ever happened in tennis. Unbelievable. When I saw it on TV, I was like, ‘wow, okay, let’s see how it evolves.’ Then (after) 10 minutes I see Sascha coming in the locker room. Okay, it didn’t go well. Yeah, it was (a) crazy situation. I don’t think it can ever happen again. Unbelievable.”
The same can be said for Coco Gauff with the 2023 US Open champion very much relieved not to be on that court. “That was crazy, I’ve never seen anything like that. Did Alcaraz actually get stung? Oh, he did. I heard that. I saw the video of him trying to run away. I said he wasn’t fast enough.
“That’s just one of those things…. You can’t defeat the bees. You know, he tried to swing his racquet, but there were just too many of them. I did feel bad for him. I’m glad he’s not allergic. That would have been tough.
“Yeah, that’s the craziest thing I’ve ever seen happen at a tennis court and hopefully it will never happen again — at least not to me!”‘
Samuel GillEditor-in-Chief
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of TennisUpToDate.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces across the TennisUpToDate network, playing a central role in the daily operation and development of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has a broad background in tennis media. In his current role, he works closely with editors and writers to ensure coverage meets clear journalistic standards, with particular attention to verification, consistency, and timely updates when new information becomes available.
claps 0visitors 0
Just In
Popular News
Latest Comments
- This article is SPOT ON!!!Rapunzel04-09-2026
- This article is SPOT ON!!!Rapunzel04-09-2026
- Is there no one in Pro Tennis willing to give this one some form of intervention before she crashes??
mandoist04-09-2026 - Double Standards for the male players? Gross. BTW: This "apology" reads like the one his lawyers wrote for him when he had to go to the Kangaroo Court for slapping his girlfriend around.mandoist04-09-2026
- From Day One, legalizing Sports Betting was never going to end well (for The Sport... not just the thousands who lose their livelihoods and bank accounts). We're not even close to the end of the damage this is causing.mandoist03-09-2026
- From Day One, legalizing Sports Betting was never going to end well (for The Sport... not the thousands who lose their livelihoods and bank accounts). We're not even close to the end of the damage this is causing.mandoist03-09-2026
- In her defense... she has no "defense" and likely could not articulate it if she did.mandoist03-09-2026
- Someone is not enjoying her gradual slide down the rankings, which became noticeable last season. BTW: That reporter's on to something familiar -- the effects of Social Media Stardom on one's Second Priority (Tennis). Shades of Bouchard, Giorgi, Raducanu, etc.mandoist03-09-2026
- Sabalenka seems so unhappy. When you get angry after every mistake you make on court, you’ve got some issues sweetie! She also does seem to be “partying” a lot if you follow her social media (I don’t lolol). Very immature personality.DaveyWavey03-09-2026
- The main difference for bigger names like Alcaraz, Sinner, Zverez, etc. is that they usually make it to the later stages of tournaments while 99% of the other players win a round or two and then move on to the next tournament. The bigger names are playing more, playing longer and therefore more injury issues. The money is great but it all comes with a price!DaveyWavey03-09-2026
Loading
