After defeating Naomi Osaka in her fourth-round match Monday at Roland-Garros, Aryna Sabalenka was met with an odd request in her post-match interview.
It was a major occasion for the women’s draw, as there hadn’t been a prime-time night session featuring a women’s match in Paris in three years.
French Open broadcaster and former player Fabrice Santoro then asked Sabalenka to dance with the crowd following her 7-5, 6-3 victory, even asking for music to accompany her.
While appearing to hesitate at first, Sabalenka went along with Santoro’s request. The moment was met with some confusion and criticism from the tennis world, including former Grand Slam champion Andy Roddick, who shared his thoughts on the moment on his podcast “Served.”
“I like him (Santoro), but saying, ‘Will you dance for us?’ is just such a weird thing to ask. I don’t like it,” Roddick said. “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.
“I don’t know, man. Personally, I understand the personality side of these post-match interviews … but it’s just such a lose-lose situation. 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.”
The moment brings up conversations on how commentators handle post-match interviews, often trying to create funny or viral moments rather than taking more time to discuss the outcome of the match.
Some recalled other similar, uncomfortable instances, including at the 2015 Australian Open where Eugenie Bouchard was asked to twirl and show off her outfit to the Melbourne crowd following a victory.
However, throughout the French Open, Sabalenka and fellow pro Novak Djokovic have had a sort of contest going off their post-match celebration dances.
Djokovic’s third-round loss to Joao Fonseca ended the playful competition for this tournament.
Sabalenka, the current world No. 1 and the clear favorite to win the French Open, will face Diana Shnaider in the quarterfinals Wednesday.
