On a regular day, Stadium 1 at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden holds around 16,000 spectators. On March 14, 2024, it welcomed a few thousand more. None of them had tickets.

During the quarterfinal between Carlos Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev, a swarm of bees entered the stadium and quickly claimed the court as their own. They showed a clear preference for the net, the players, and especially the Spidercam hovering above the court.

Reports later estimated the swarm to number somewhere between 3,500 and 25,000 bees. The exact figure remains unknown. Counting was briefly considered, then immediately ruled out.

Eventually, a beekeeper arrived and the bees were safely removed. The match resumed as planned. But Indian Wells had already secured one of its most unexpected moments.