World tennis No 4 Stefanos Tsitsipas asks fan to be removed from court for pretending to be a bee

17 August 2023, 13:06

Tennis player Stefanos Tsitsipas asked for a spectator to be removed from the stands for pretending to be a bee during his match.

The World number four was playing in the second round of the Western and Southern Open in Cincinnati against America’s Ben Shelton.

He was serving at 3-4 in the second set when he was seen swatting the air with his racket as if a bee was nearby.

When the noise kept going, he walked up to the umpire, telling him: “There’s a person imitating a bee behind me. It’s a buzz right before I serve. Do you think that’s OK?” he said.

Tsitsipas took matters into his own hands - confronting a group of spectators who were sitting behind him.

A woman was quickly singled out by other spectators.

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Tsitsipas went back to the umpire, saying: “It has never happened in my career. I know they’re supporting the [opponent].”

His opponent Shelton approached to question what was behind the break in play, to which Tsitsipas replied: “They’re imitating a bee. They’re buzzing, ‘bzz’.”

Tsitsipas then asked the spectator to be ejected from the stadium.

“It’s the lady over there. I want her out. She needs to go. I’m about to serve and all I hear is . . .”

But the umpire refused, saying he was going to tell her to stop making the noise instead.

When play resumed the spectator apologised to him.

Spectators coughing at untimely moments during matches is a relatively common occurrence during high profile tennis contests.

This is believed to be the first time someone pretending to be a bee has stopped play.

Tsitsipas went on to hold his serve and won the match 7-6 (7-3), 7-6 (7-2).