There is always a buzz when Carlos Alcaraz is on court. Yet the buzz was more literal than usual at last year's BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells.
The quarter-final between Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev will perhaps be remembered less for the tennis and more for the bizarre bee invasion that caused a near two-hour delay. The star of the show? Beekeeper Lance Davis, who described the experience as ‘crazy’.
After meticulously dealing with the Queen and the thousands of bees swarming the spider camera on Stadium 1, Davis was called down to court level for another important task: reassuring the defending champion. Understandably shaken after being attacked by the bees when the match was postponed, Alcaraz needed a little convincing before heading back out.
“They’re probably not flying now, they’re probably all upstairs where I got the Queen in the cage,” Davis told Alcaraz. “I think you’re going to be safe. Now you can focus, and win… And he did!”
Twelve months later, Davis reflects on his unexpected visit to the Indian Wells Tennis Garden:
Alcaraz went on to claim a commanding 6-3, 6-1 victory against Zverev and later successfully defended his title at the first ATP Masters 1000 of the year.
“I’m not going to lie, I was a little bit afraid of the bees,” Alcaraz said after the quarter-final. “Once the match started again, I had to stay away from the bees and really focus on the match.”
Davis has built up quite the reputation in the California desert. The bee expert left the Indian Wells Tennis Garden that evening a hero, posing for countless pictures with fans. Davis, who has more than 50 years experience in the beekeeping industry, even made a return this year to reunite with two-time defending champion Alcaraz, welcoming him onto court for the coin toss in his opener.
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