Novak Djokovic has achieved over 400 Grand Slam match wins and holds 24 major tournament titles. Despite this remarkable record, Djokovic celebrated his first-round win at the French Open against France’s Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard with the enthusiasm of a newcomer.
The third-seeded Djokovic overcame the unranked Perricard in four sets. Following his victory, he performed a lively combination of dance moves. The official Roland-Garros account shared a video of Djokovic dancing in a stairwell. In the video, he says, “Check this out. Woo! Woo! You can’t beat that, Aryna. I challenge you.” He was addressing Aryna Sabalenka, the world’s No. 1 women’s player and his close friend.
Sabalenka has not yet responded to Djokovic’s dance challenge, but she is known for her engaging TikTok activities. It’s expected she will respond with her own dance soon.
Sabalenka is set to begin her French Open campaign against unranked Spaniard Jessica Bouzas Maneiro on Tuesday. Though she has won the Australian Open and US Open twice each, the French Open and Wimbledon titles remain elusive. She reached the French Open final last year but lost to Coco Gauff.
Djokovic has claimed three victories at Roland-Garros, most recently defeating Casper Ruud in 2023. He will compete against French player Valentin Royer in the second round on Wednesday.
Djokovic appears relieved not to face Carlos Alcaraz in Paris this year. Alcaraz, the two-time defending French Open champion, is recovering from a wrist injury. He bested Djokovic in the 2026 Australian Open and previously in Wimbledon finals in 2023 and 2024.