SouthernWorldwide.com – A peculiar request for Aryna Sabalenka to dance following her French Open victory over Naomi Osaka has drawn the attention and bewilderment of former American tennis star Andy Roddick.
The scene at Roland-Garros became notably awkward when Sabalenka, who had just defeated Osaka in straight sets with a score of 7-5, 6-3, was prompted by broadcaster and former player Fabrice Santoro to engage in a dance for the crowd. Santoro even requested that music be played.
Despite initial hesitation, Sabalenka complied with the request. However, the situation left many within the tennis community, including Roddick, feeling confused.
Roddick, a former Grand Slam champion with a U.S. Open title in 2003, shared his thoughts on Santoro’s unusual request during his podcast, “Served.”
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“I like him, but saying, ‘Will you dance for us?’ is just such a weird thing to ask. I don’t like it,” Roddick expressed. “And then when she does it a little bit and it’s kind of over, to then ask her to moonwalk. …I don’t know. Maybe people loved it, and I might be in the minority.”
The specific request for a moonwalk followed the playing of Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” over the speakers at Court Philippe-Chatrier.
Roddick acknowledged that he understands the “personality side” of post-match interviews but found this particular instance to be a misstep. “Props to her for doing it, but I just thought it was weird. I think that’s such a strange thing to ask somebody to do in a professional setting.”
It is worth noting that throughout the French Open, Sabalenka and Novak Djokovic, who experienced an unexpected defeat in his recent match, appeared to be engaging in a friendly competition of post-match celebration dances.
However, this trend concluded when Djokovic lost his third-round match against the emerging Spanish talent Joao Fonseca. Fonseca, a 19-year-old phenom, staged a remarkable comeback from a two-set deficit to win the thrilling five-set encounter.
The tennis world has witnessed instances in the past where viral moments are actively sought during these post-match situations, with some of these attempts resulting in uncomfortable or awkward outcomes.
Roddick clearly perceived this particular interaction as falling into that category. Sabalenka, meanwhile, is set to compete in at least one more match as she continues her pursuit of her first French Open title.
The 28-year-old, currently ranked as the world No. 1 in women’s singles, boasts four Grand Slam singles titles to her name. These include victories at the U.S. Open in 2024 and 2025, as well as Australian Open titles in 2023 and 2024.
Sabalenka is scheduled to face No. 25 Diana Shnaider in the quarterfinals on Wednesday. The match is slated to commence at 6:10 a.m. ET.
