Looks like the King of Pop has officially made his way onto the clay courts of Roland Garros!
During the 2026 French Open, tennis legend Novak Djokovic surprised fans by channeling none other than Michael Jackson after his victory over Valentin Royer. The Serbian star broke into an MJ-inspired dance move as part of an ongoing playful “dance battle” with world number one Aryna Sabalenka.
The fun started earlier in the tournament when Sabalenka celebrated one of her wins with a choreography of her own, challenging Djokovic to answer back. And answer back he did with unmistakable Michael Jackson flair. Fans online quickly picked up on the tribute, with Roland-Garros itself posting the moment and calling it “a bit of MJ at Roland-Garros.”
Whether it was a moonwalk, a shoulder shimmy, or simply some classic MJ attitude, one thing is clear: Michael Jackson’s influence continues to pop up in the most unexpected places, even in the middle of a Grand Slam tournament.
Now the big question is… how will Sabalenka respond next?
Pure cinema indeed.
