Social media is useful when it elicits laughter for the right reasons and keeps fans closer to tennis's retired stars. Former World No. 7 Mardy Fish, 3-time Grand Slam quarterfinalist, and the winner of 6 ATP Titles, who retired in 2015 is a social media whiz for needling his famous friends with his dry sense of humor.
His latest conquest is Carlos Alcaraz. Fish, 42, decided that a recent event that happened to MLB's Los Angeles Dodgers was something that Alcaraz needed to be aware of because it also happened to him this year. Bees delayed a recent Los Angeles Dodgers game against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Recall that Alcaraz had to deal with a bee infestation this year at Indian Wells and was stung.
Send us your best bee puns. Winner gets to keep the bees. pic.twitter.com/upzxt0v27H
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) May 1, 2024
Fish tagged Alcaraz on the events including photos of the swarm of bees. Alcaraz did not comment because he is likely still suffering PTSD while trying to erase the Indian Wells' "Beegate" event from his memory. Both events had a similar outcome. There were plenty of social media jokes and puns. A beekeeper arrived on the scene and saved the day while embracing his five minutes of fame. In the MLB case, the beekeeper rode onto the field in a golf cart after completing the job of eradicating the bees, and he threw out the first pitch in the game.
🐝🐝MUST SEE🐝🐝
— Darren M. Haynes (@DarrenMHaynes) May 1, 2024
- Bees delay Dodgers - Diamondbacks game 🐝
- Bee keeper comes in & removes the bees🐝
- then the bee keeper throws out the ceremonial first pitch!!!🐝
BEE MAN FOR MVP!!!🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝 pic.twitter.com/RjVpIwX7CZ
This is the latest of Fish's humorous posts
Fish's humor is usually directed at himself or his 40-something former opponents. He guzzled a beer at Indian Wells (not during beegate) and jokingly looked for a sponsorship opportunity. Fish took ribbing from former player James Blake for this.
Pacifico sponsorship? #fullbeer https://t.co/qHO0UOxVSq
— Mardy Fish (@MardyFish) March 17, 2024
Roger Federer is a frequent target because it appears Fish has unresolved issues about his record with The Maestro.
Delete this immediately https://t.co/qGSr0JWQ52
— Mardy Fish (@MardyFish) March 14, 2024
Fish likes to comment on Federer's videos when he does pick up a racquet in retirement, calling him an "old man" who "is clueless about the game of tennis."
Terrible footwork. This old man is clueless about the game of tennis. https://t.co/WmUmfZBsix
— Mardy Fish (@MardyFish) February 22, 2024
When Rafael Nadal calls it a career, Fish, an avid golfer, will likely make himself available to help him with his swing since he has publicly critiqued it online.
Rafa, we need to talk about your golf swing buddy @Maxhoma ??? https://t.co/9VgwAfacM1
— Mardy Fish (@MardyFish) March 3, 2024
Fish is the best of us and in an era where social media can be mean and nasty or scathing and underhanded. He is someone all tennis fans should be following for guaranteed laughs. If you do not believe me, ask one of his 162,500 followers