The Miami Open 2024 experienced a bizarre moment during the women’s quarterfinal match between Victoria Azarenka and Yulia Putintseva on Tuesday, March 26. The game had to be abruptly stopped due to a power outage on the center court, causing technical difficulties with the judge’s screen and Hawkeye.
The umpire made the decision to halt the match and informed the players of the situation, stating, “At the moment, we have lost electricity, so we have no light or sound. That is why we can’t continue. We are going to stop here and when everything is resolved we will return,” leaving both players surprised by the unforeseen issue.
The WTA quickly responded with a statement, acknowledging the problem and expressing confidence that the issue would be resolved in the next 10 minutes to allow the match to resume. This incident added to the list of unusual events in tennis tournaments, following a recent delay at Indian Wells where a swarm of bees interrupted a match between Carlos Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev.
The Alcaraz-Zverev match had to be delayed as specialists were brought in to manage the bee invasion, with the Spaniard even suffering a bee sting that went viral. These unexpected occurrences continue to surprise spectators and players alike, showcasing the unpredictable nature of professional tennis tournaments.