Aryna Sabalenka responds to Djokovic and shows off her dance moves after winning the French Open

Novak Djokovic’s viral dance challenge found the perfect answer, with world number one Aryna Sabalenkova showing off her moves after winning the first round at the 2026 French Open.

French Open: Update

After Djokovic revived his signature “battle dance” celebration. after winning the opening round, the 24-time Grand Slam champion cheekily challenged Sabalenka. The Belarusian didn’t keep her waiting long, and the official channels of Roland Garros even caught her dancing down the stairs, turning the moment into an instant viral highlight.

The playful exchange quickly became one of the themes of the tournament and continues the light-hearted rivalry that has grown between the two stars since last year’s Roland Garros, where similar celebrations also became widespread. Fans online embraced the back and forth, enjoying a rare glimpse of fun and personality amid the intensity of Grand Slam tennis.

ON THE RESULTS OF THE COURT

Sabalenková once again looked like the world number one on the court. She beat Spain’s Jessica Bouzas Maneiro 6-4, 6-2 on Court Philippe-Chatrier to extend her remarkable streak of consistency at major tournaments. The Belarusian has now reached the first round in all of her last 22 Grand Slam appearances, with her last opening-round defeat dating back to the 2020 Australian Open.

Since rising to the top of the WTA rankings in October 2024, Sabalenka has embraced the pressure that comes with being the player everyone is chasing. “I think we all feel the pressure,” she said after the win. “It’s just a part of this life, so you have to get used to it. It’s kind of hard to ignore it.”

Djokovic, meanwhile, set the tone for the exchange earlier in the week. After surviving a tricky opening round test against France’s Giovanni Mpetshi Perricardo, he fought his way through four-set match 5-7, 7-5, 6-1, 6-4 on Court Philippe-Chatrier. The 39-year-old briefly appeared under pressure after a slow start, but recovered strongly to eventually seal the win before issuing the now-viral dance challenge that Sabalenka so eagerly responded to.

What started as a post-match celebration has now turned into one of Roland Garros’ funniest stories – proof that even at the highest level of Grand Slam pressure, there’s still room for a bit of rhythm, rivalry and fun.

– The end

Published on:

26 May 2026 20:15 IST