Coco Gauff spoke about the bizarre bee invasion that interrupted a match between Carlos Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev at the 2024 Indian Wells Open.
Tennis matches are often interrupted due to various reasons, including a deadly snake, which stopped the play at the 2024 Brisbane International earlier this year.
While the weather is the most common factor, one of the quarter-final matches at the first ATP Masters 1000 tournament of the season was suspended due to a bee invasion.
It was a match between Alcaraz and Zverev, in which the Spanish player prevailed, but it was a match that didn't cost him only sweat and effort, but also a little bit of pain as he was stung by one of the bees.
After her victory over Yue Yuan, Gauff talked about the incident, admitting that if she had been in the position, she would have immediately left the court, regardless of whether she would receive a time violation or not.
"But 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, like, run away. I said he wasn't fast enough. He's a fast guy on the court, but I think he was trying to ask for clarification on what was going on."
"I would have just time violation, just leave (smiling). That's just one of those things that I just, 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."
Gauff also expressed her concern about Alcaraz's health. If he had been allergic to bee stings, he could have been in serious trouble. Luckily, it seems that wasn't the case.
According to the young American, the incident was the "craziest thing" she ever saw happen on a tennis court, and many fans in attendance at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden would likely agree.
"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 (smiling)."
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