Novak Djokovic faced a tough challenge in the opening round at Roland Garros on Sunday. However, the Serbian star fought back to defeat Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard 5-7, 7-5, 6-1, 6-4 and advance to the second round in Paris.

After an intense 2-hour and 51-minute battle on Court Philippe Chatrier in Paris, Djokovic looked relieved and happy. As he walked off the court at Roland Garros, the 39-year-old celebrated with a dance on the stadium stairs and later sent a playful message to Aryna Sabalenka on social media.

The dance was the same one Djokovic used a year earlier. “Check this out. Woooooh! Wooooh!” Djokovic said while dancing. “You can’t beat that, Aryna. I challenge you.”

Djokovic was referring to Aryna Sabalenka, who is one of his close friends and currently the No. 1-ranked women’s tennis player in the world. And Djokovic clearly had plenty of reasons to celebrate.

Earlier this year, the former world No. 1 made Grand Slam history by becoming the player with the most main-draw appearances ever at major tournaments with 82. He moved past both Roger Federer and Feliciano López on the all-time list.

Another possible reason for Djokovic’s excitement could be the absence of Carlos Alcaraz from the tournament. The two-time defending French Open champion is currently recovering from a wrist injury.

Alcaraz defeated Djokovic earlier this year to win the 2026 Australian Open. He also beat him in the Wimbledon finals in both 2023 and 2024.

So far, Sabalenka has not responded to Djokovic’s challenge. Still, fans know her TikTok activity rarely disappoints, so many expect a response eventually.

Interestingly, this is not the first time the two stars have exchanged celebration dances online. Last year, both Sabalenka and Djokovic responded to each other on social media with victory dances after winning matches at Roland Garros.

Aryna Sabalenka and Novak Djokovic Continue Fun French Open Rivalry

It all started at Roland Garros last year when Novak Djokovic copied Aryna Sabalenka’s celebration pose after defeating Cameron Norrie in the fourth round.

After that, the two stars kept exchanging celebration dances on social media as they continued winning matches.

Djokovic eventually reached the semifinals before losing to Jannik Sinner in straight sets. Meanwhile, Sabalenka made it all the way to the final before losing to Coco Gauff.

Now, both players are hoping for even better results this year. Still, there is a long road ahead over the next two weeks if they want to keep adding wins and new dance celebrations.

The 28-year-old is set to begin her tournament on Tuesday against Jessica Bouzas Maneiro in the first round. She is also chasing her fifth Grand Slam trophy and her first major title outside hard courts.

Do you think Aryna Sabalenka will respond to Djokovic’s challenge with another viral dance video?

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Written by

Sauramita Debbarma

Edited by

Souvik Roy