Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz fought off swarming bees and Alexander Zverev on Thursday to set up a semifinal clash with Jannik Sinner at Indian Wells.
World No. 2 Alcaraz was stung on the forehead and temporarily forced off the court as a “bee invasion” halted his quarterfinal against Germany’s Zverev.
He looked none the worse for wear when play resumed after a delay of almost two hours, polishing off a 6-3, 6-1 victory and avenging a quarterfinal loss to Zverev at the Australian Open.
Sinner powered into the semifinals with a 6-3, 6-3 victory over Czech Jiri Lehecka pushing his match win streak to 19.
In Saturday’s semifinals he’ll be out to turn the tables on Alcaraz.
Alcaraz said he never imagined his title defense would find him ducking for cover amid a swarm of bees.
He and Zverev were just two games into their match when the bees overwhelmed proceedings, Alcaraz swatting and swiping at the insects after being stung on the forehead.
The bees swarmed the remote-controlled “spider cam” and Alcaraz and Zverev had already run for cover when chair umpire Mohamed Lahyani announced “Ladies and gentlemen, play is suspended due to bee invasion.”
World number one Iga Swiatek had just got rolling when she found herself in the semis as Caroline Wozniacki retired from their quarterfinal with a foot injury.
