Watch: Novak Djokovic dancing to a popular K-Pop song

Dubai: Novak Djokovic has often dazzled US Open fans with his flawless footwork on court. On Tuesday night, after booking his place in yet another semi-final, the 24-time Grand Slam champion revealed a new routine — one inspired not by tennis, but by K-Pop.

Fresh from his 6-3, 7-5, 3-6, 6-4 victory over Taylor Fritz, Djokovic thrilled the Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd with a surprise dance routine. The choreography was set to “Soda Pop” by the South Korean group K-Pop Demon Hunters, a global hit among teenagers.

Djokovic explained the performance was no ordinary celebration. “It’s midnight here, the second of September, my daughter’s birthday,” he said. “The dance in the end was for her. She told me how to do it. We’ve been doing different choreographies at home. Hopefully, she’ll smile when she wakes up tomorrow morning.”

The Serbian admitted he only discovered the song through his daughter. “Obviously, it’s a big thing globally for kids, but I didn’t know about it. Since then, we’ve been practicing at home, and this was one of our choreographies,” he said with a smile.

While the dance provided a light-hearted finale, the match itself was tense. Fritz, backed by a home crowd, pushed Djokovic to four sets and forced him to save break points at crucial stages. Djokovic needed three match points before advancing to a record-extending 53rd Grand Slam semi-final, including 14 at Flushing Meadows.

“In the end of the day, a win matters. I’m really proud of the fight that I put in. It was really anybody’s match. Most of the second and third sets, he was the better player. That last game was nerve-racking,” Djokovic admitted.

Next up is a blockbuster semi-final against Carlos Alcaraz, who has not dropped a set so far in the tournament. Djokovic leads their rivalry 5-3, having beaten the Spaniard in their last two encounters, including at the Australian Open earlier this year.

But for one night, it wasn’t his backhand or his serve-and-volley that stole the spotlight. Instead, it was a father keeping a birthday promise — and showing the world that even the most relentless champion can cut loose to K-Pop. Djokovic must be celebrating his daughter’s birthday, but the 38-year-old Serb is keen to spoil the party of Carlos Alcaraz and possibly defending champion Jannik Sinner should he make the final.