Novak Djokovic’s Joyful French Open Start

Novak Djokovic has achieved over 400 Grand Slam victories and secured 24 major tournament titles. Yet, his reaction to defeating France’s Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard in the first round of Roland-Garros was filled with the excitement of a novice champion.

Ranked third, Djokovic overcame the unseeded Perricard in four sets. His celebration included a dance that combined a shimmy and sashay. The official Roland-Garros account shared a video of him dancing in a stairwell, capturing this exuberance. In the video, Djokovic playfully states, “Check this out. Woo! Woo! You can’t beat that, Aryna. I challenge you.” He referred to Aryna Sabalenka, his friend and the top-ranked women’s player, encouraging her to respond to his dance with one of her own.

Sabalenka hasn’t yet answered Djokovic’s challenge. However, her active presence on TikTok suggests it’s only a matter of time before she responds creatively. Sabalenka is set to begin her French Open pursuit against Jessica Bouzas Maneiro, an unseeded player from Spain. While she’s claimed victories at the Australian and US Opens twice each, a French Open win remains elusive; last year, she was defeated by Coco Gauff in the final.

Djokovic, with three titles at Roland-Garros, last triumphed over Casper Ruud there in 2023. He is preparing to face Valentin Royer, a French player, in the second round.

The absence of Carlos Alcaraz in the tournament might contribute to Djokovic’s joyful demeanor. Alcaraz, recovering from a wrist injury, is the defending French Open champion and had defeated Djokovic to win both the 2026 Australian Open and Wimbledon in 2023 and 2024.