Carlos Alcaraz Reflects on Bee-Inspired Supporters in Dominant Win Over Denis Shapovalov at Indian Wells

Carlos Alcaraz credited fans dressed as bees for boosting his performance during his third-round match at the 2025 Indian Wells Masters. The bee costumes were a playful reference to last year’s incident when a swarm of bees disrupted his quarterfinal against Alexander Zverev.

While last year’s bee invasion caused a temporary halt to play, Alcaraz ultimately won the match. This year, during his match against Denis Shapovalov, the bee-themed supporters brought smiles to the 21-year-old as he dominated, winning 6-2, 6-4, and advancing in his quest for a second consecutive title.

In the post-match press conference, Alcaraz explained how the humorous sight lifted his spirits. “It is funny because it helped me a lot. During the first set, I was looking at them and laughing. I always say that when I’m having fun on the court, I play my best tennis,” he said.

Alcaraz even took a selfie with the bee-clad fans, adding, “Thanks to them, I was able to showcase good tennis. I didn’t even notice them until the second game when they appeared on the screen.”

He also met with Lance Davis, who famously handled the bee situation last year, during the coin toss of his opening match, sharing lighthearted moments.

As the tournament progresses, Alcaraz is in a strong position to pursue a three-peat at the Masters 1000 event.

He is set to face Grigor Dimitrov in the fourth round, their sixth head-to-head encounter. Alcaraz holds a 3-2 advantage, although Dimitrov has won their last two meetings.

Despite a challenging start to 2025 with multiple retirements, Dimitrov has shown impressive form at Indian Wells. After a bye, he defeated Nuno Borges 6-3, 6-4, and then won a thrilling match against Gael Monfils 7-6(4), 4-6, 7-6(2).

The winner of the Alcaraz-Dimitrov match will face either Francisco Cerundolo or Alex de Minaur in the quarterfinals.