A ball boy proved that not all heroes wear capes by refusing to give up in his pursuit of a mystery bug that disrupted play at the US Open on Tuesday night.
Home favourite Frances Tiafoe and Grigor Dimitrov were moving into the latter stages of the second set of their quarter-final when the former pointed out that a small creature was flying around the court.
Without a moment’s hesitation, a ball boy stepped forward and began to chase after the bug – which may have been a moth – but it proved very difficult to catch.
His relentless pursuit drew laughs from the New York crowd, while another ball boy came across to try to help, but it looked like their efforts may go to waste.
However, the original ball boy stuck to his task and finally got his hands on the bug before raising his arms aloft in triumph while he took the acclaim of the fans inside the Arthur Ashe Stadium.
A ball boy desperately tried to catch a mystery bug that stopped play at the US Open
Another ball boy came over to help him but the bug was very difficult to catch
The original ball boy finally caught the bug and ran off with his arm aloft in triumph
The New York crowd saw the funny side following the humorous incident
The ball boy took the acclaim of the crowd and was seen grinning from ear to ear
As the camera panned to the ball boy afterwards, he was seen grinning from ear to ear.
It was not the first time that play has been stopped in bizarre circumstances at this year’s tournament.
On Monday, play was suspended on all courts for a brief period due a fire alarm affecting the Hawkeye system.
On that occasion, there was very little that could be done until the alarm stopped, but this time the ball boy made sure that there was minimal disruption by getting his hands on the bug in under 30 seconds.
Frances Tiafoe (pictured) went on to win the quarter-final, and the US are now guaranteed a men’s player in the US Open final for the first time since 2006
Tiafoe went on to book his place in the semi-finals after Dimitrov retired injured in the fourth set, with the American leading by two sets to one at the time.
His victory means the US will have a home player in the men’s final for the first time since 2006 as Tiafoe will now play his fellow countryman Taylor Fritz in the last four following his quarter-final win over Alexander Zverev.
