Stefanos Tsitsipas wants fan kicked out for imitating bee
In a bizarre but albeit funny incident, Greek tennis star Stefanos Tsitsipas complained to the umpire that a member in the crowd was imitating a bee during his Cincinnati Open match against Ben Shelton.
Initially, Tsitsipas was visibly flustered and was seen swinging his racquet thinking that a bee might have invaded the court. Whenever he tries to serve, the sound returned and he he ultimately walked to the umpire and said, “There’s a person imitating a bee behind me.”
“It’s a buzz right before I serve. Do you think that’s okay?,” he added. The player would then walk towards a row of supporters in order to find out where the noise was emanating from and briefly interacted with them before returning to the umpire and complaining again.
“There’s a person imitating a bee behind me” 🐝
The most bee-zarre thing you’ll see today 😂#CincyTennis @steftsitsipas pic.twitter.com/t2W50fvo51
— Tennis TV (@TennV) August 16, 2023
“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,” he said.
In the match, Tsitsipas dropped only three first-serve points to beat Shelton 7-6(3) 7-6(2) and set up a meeting with Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz, who ended Borna Coric’s title defence.
“We didn’t play a lot of rallies today, which was difficult to get into the rhythm,” said Tsitsipas. “He was serving big today, he wasn’t giving me a lot to work with and I had to hang in there, wait for my chances.”
The Masters 1000 tournament has been played in Cincinnati since 1899 and is the oldest pro tournament still in the same city. Its future is in doubt, with a possible move to Charlotte, North Carolina in 2026.
