Djokovic Celebrates First-Round Win at Roland-Garros with Dance Challenge

Novak Djokovic enhanced his already impressive career with another victory, achieving over 400 Grand Slam match wins and securing 24 major tournament titles. Despite these accomplishments, Djokovic celebrated his first-round triumph over France’s Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard at the French Open with exuberance akin to a newcomer.

In a match lasting four sets, the third-seeded Djokovic defeated the unranked Perricard. His celebration included a mix of dance steps that drew attention. The official Roland-Garros account on X even shared a video of Djokovic dancing in a stairwell. In the video, he jovially challenged Aryna Sabalenka, saying, “Check this out. Woo! Woo! You can’t beat that, Aryna. I challenge you.” Aryna Sabalenka, a close friend and the top-ranked women’s player, has not yet responded to Djokovic’s dance challenge. However, her known activity on TikTok suggests a likely response soon.

Sabalenka is set to begin her run at the 2026 French Open against Jessica Bouzas Maneiro of Spain. Though she has twice won both the Australian Open and the US Open, her pursuits of French Open and Wimbledon titles continue. Last year, she was the runner-up to Coco Gauff at the French Open.

Djokovic has claimed victory at Roland-Garros three times, the most recent being in 2023 against Casper Ruud. His upcoming match is against the French player Valentin Royer on Wednesday.

Part of Djokovic’s buoyant demeanor may be relief, as he avoids facing the formidable Carlos Alcaraz in this year’s French Open. Alcaraz, a two-time defending French Open champion, is recovering from a wrist injury. Alcaraz has previously bested Djokovic, winning the 2026 Australian Open and Wimbledon in 2023 and 2024.