The Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics witnessed a viral “crossover” moment that fans won’t soon forget. Tennis icon Novak Djokovic, attending the figure skating team event alongside his wife, Jelena, was caught on camera in a state of absolute disbelief during Ilia Malinin’s gold-medal-clinching routine.
“Once-in-a-Lifetime” Reaction
Sitting at ice level, the 24-time Grand Slam champion was seen with his hands over his head as 21-year-old American, known as the “Quad God,” landed a breathtaking backflip on a single skate.
The move – recently legalized and now a signature of Malinin’s technical dominance – helped secure Team USA’s second consecutive Olympic gold in the team event.
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Novak Djokovic is a fan of figure skating. His reactions as he looked on. pic.twitter.com/vfB5aBq2Xh
— Danny (@DjokovicFan_) February 8, 2026
Malinin’s Disbelief
Speaking after his historic performance, a star-struck Malinin admitted that knowing a legend of Novak Djokovic’s caliber was watching added a layer of surrealism to his win: “I did see Novak. It’s so unreal. I heard that after I landed my backflip he was like – he had his hands over his head. That’s incredible. That’s a once-in-a-lifetime moment. I’m absolutely blown away.”
Malinin rises to the occasion
After a difficult short program the previous night, American standout Ilia Malinin rose to the occasion when it counted most, unleashing a free skate packed with five of his signature quadruple jumps. His performance earned a score of 200.03, decisively pulling United States ahead of Japan in the team standings.
Japan settled for silver for the second consecutive Winter Games, while Italy captured a stirring bronze medal amid an electric home atmosphere.
“Going into the men’s free skate, I knew that it was tied. I knew that I was the deciding factor,” Malinin told reporters after winning the gold medal, Olympics.com reported. “I told myself, ‘This is your moment. It’s do-or-die.’ I just let the nerves go and tried to have fun.
“Without each other, we wouldn’t have been able to do this. It came down to the energy and support of this entire team.”
