BREAKING NEWS: Alcaraz quickly leaves following an infestation by insects.

The BNP Paribas Open quarterfinal between Carlos Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev was delayed for over two hours due to a swarm of bees.

Nineteen minutes into the match, with Alcaraz serving and the score knotted at one, the action was paused as he batted at the bees flying about him and fled for safety.

An unprotected man used a vacuum to remove the dozens of bees that had hooked themselves to the overhead spider camera that runs across the court.

During the wait, the players fled the court. Zverev joked that he was okay to play on his side of the court when they got back and the chair umpire informed them there were still some bees around.
The audience gave the bee vacuummer a hearty round of applause when he was called back to the court with a spray bottle.

As he wandered the seats spraying for bees, he posed for photographs with spectators, making Zverev and Alcaraz chuckle. The man also sprayed the court’s surrounding walls.

A player’s towel was also visited by a bee. Alcaraz continued to worry that the bees would swarm again on his side, but during the warmup, an ATP Tour supervisor urged him to attempt it.
The game was again in action one hour and forty-eight minutes later.

Former Microsoft CEO Bill Gates and tournament owner and billionaire Larry Ellison were observing from Ellison’s box.