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A bizarre incident unfolded during Stefanos Tsitsipas and Ben Shelton's second-round clash at the 2023 Cincinnati Open when a spectator imitated a bee in an effort to distract the Greek. The perplexing incident sparked amusement among tennis fans.
On Wednesday, August 16, Tsitsipas secured a 7-6 (3), 7-6(2) victory over Shelton in an hour and 43 minutes to advance to the third round at the ATP Masters 1000 event.
In an unusual turn of events in the second set, the Greek's efforts to serve were disrupted by a spectator who was mimicking the sound of a bee. The World No. 4 then approached the chair umpire to raise a complaint about the disturbance.
"There's a person imitating a bee behind me. It's a buzz right before I serve," he told the umpire.
Determined to pinpoint the source, Tsitsipas walked over to the stands and identified the woman responsible with the help of another spectator. Subsequently, he asked for her to be removed from the stadium.
"It has never happened in my career. I know they're supporting the [other player]. It's the lady over there, I want her out. She needs to go... when I'm about to serve, all I hear is [bzzz]," he informed the umpire.
The woman responsible eventually apologized to the World No. 4.
Tennis fans were left highly entertained by the bizarre encounter.
"Imagine being the cringeworthy one in a situation involving Tsitsipas," a fan joked.
"She identifies as a bee," another user quipped.
Several fans expressed their appreciation for the spectator who immediately pointed out the identity of the culprit.
"Love the guy behind that Karen (who snitched)," a fan commented.
"I like how the guy behind her points her out right away," another fan chimed in.
One user criticized the spectator's actions and argued that she should have been removed from the stadium.
"Why apologise after the fact?? Just don’t do it! They should’ve kicked her out!" one user posted.
Here are a few more reactions:
Stefanos Tsitsipas set to lock horns with Hubert Hurkacz in Cincinnati Open 3R
Stefanos Tsitsipas will be up against Hubert Hurkacz in the third round of the 2023 Cincinnati Open. Hurkacz defeated defending champion Borna Coric 5-7, 6-3, 6-3 to book his spot against the fourth seed.
The Greek enjoys a dominant 7-2 head-to-head record against Hurkacz. The 25-year-old won their most recent encounter in the 2022 Astana Open quarterfinals in straight sets.
With his win over Ben Shelton, Tsitsipas has bolstered his chances of securing the fourth seed at the upcoming US Open. His prospects were aided by the second-round exits suffered by his competitors for the spot, namely Holger Rune, Casper Ruud, and Jannik Sinner.
The Greek will need to reach the semifinals in Cincinnati to surpass Rune and claim a top-four seeding at the final Grand Slam of the season.
