Thriller Night in Paris: Sabalenka responds to Djokovic with MJ-inspired dance moves
As the world’s top tennis players continue their pursuit of Grand Slam glory in Paris, Novak Djokovic and Aryna Sabalenka have injected an unexpected dose of entertainment into the French Open with an ongoing, light-hearted dance-off challenge.
The playful exchange began after Djokovic’s first-round victory at Roland-Garros, when the Serbian star jokingly challenged Sabalenka while walking down the stairs of Court Philippe-Chatrier. What started as a casual moment has since evolved into a running theme of the tournament, with both players attempting to outdo each other through iconic dance-inspired celebrations after their matches.
The rivalry of rhythm escalated after Djokovic’s second-round win, when he surprised fans by recreating Michael Jackson’s legendary “moonwalk.” The gesture quickly went viral and raised the stakes in the unofficial contest between the two tennis superstars.
Sabalenka, never one to shy away from the spotlight, responded in style after her straight-sets victory over France’s Elsa Jacquemot. Embracing the theme, she brought out choreography inspired by Michael Jackson’s Thriller era, matching Djokovic’s energy step for step and keeping the playful challenge alive.
“Well, I guess we’re bringing it old school so let’s see what I’m up to,” Sabalenka said after her second-round win on Thursday, May 28. “I need to remember the dance in my head and I hope I can perform it.”
Her remarks highlighted the fun side of the competition, offering fans a refreshing break from the intensity of Grand Slam pressure while still acknowledging the challenge set by the 24-time major champion.
ON COURT ACTION
Despite the off-court theatrics, both Djokovic and Sabalenka remain firmly focused on their campaigns at Roland-Garros. The two stars successfully advanced to the third round after securing victories in their respective second-round matches.
Sabalenka faced a brief scare against Jacquemot, struggling early as the French player pushed her in the opening stages. However, the world number one regained control with composure and power, ultimately sealing a straight-sets win to continue her strong run in the tournament.
Djokovic, meanwhile, looked on course for a routine win against France’s Valentin Royer after taking the opening two sets. However, he was pushed into a fourth set after dropping a tight third-set tiebreak, forcing him to dig deeper than expected to close out the match.
The Serbian great now prepares for a third-round encounter against Brazil’s rising talent Joao Fonseca, with expectations still firmly on him as one of the leading contenders for the title in Paris. Djokovic remains a strong favourite to capture a historic 25th Grand Slam crown, especially after world number one and top seed Jannik Sinner suffered a shock defeat to Juan Manuel Cerundolo in a dramatic second-round upset.
As the tournament progresses, the blend of high-stakes tennis and playful off-court moments between Djokovic and Sabalenka has added an entertaining subplot to an already compelling French Open narrative.
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