Justin Bieber Boasts He’s a ‘Superior Ping-Pong Player’ to Tennis Champ Novak Djokovic Before Winning $1 Million Fanatics Games Prize
(L-R) Michael Rubin, Justin Bieber, Novak Djokovic, Logan Paul, and Michael Ratner attend Fanatics Fest NYC 2026 at the Jacob Javits Center on July 18, 2026, in New York City.
Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Fanatics
While Justin Bieber has spent the past year dominating music headlines, the acclaimed pop artist proved over the weekend that he is equally formidable on the athletic stage.
The global superstar triumphed at the Fanatics Games during Fanatics Fest in New York, outperforming a stellar roster of world-class athletes—including retired NFL legend Tom Brady, tennis icon Novak Djokovic, and NBA standouts Victor Wembanyama and Karl-Anthony Towns—before generously distributing his $1 million grand prize.
The high-energy competition, highlighted in Fanatics Fest: All Access (now streaming on ESPN), featured Bieber locking horns with an all-star roster that also boasted Olympic gymnast Jordan Chiles, former NFL star tight end Rob Gronkowski, and prominent digital creator and former LSU gymnast Livvy Dunne.
Viewers have been particularly captivated by the moment Bieber challenged Serbian tennis maestro Novak Djokovic to an impromptu table tennis showdown. Prior to the match, the singer boldly proclaimed, “I am a superior ping-pong player. He knows it.”
Ultimately, however, Djokovic had the final say.
“I must admit, I underestimated Justin’s athletic capabilities,” remarked the 24-time Grand Slam champion following his victory at the table. Demonstrating true sportsmanship, the “Daisies” vocalist graciously responded, “He got me today, so I have to give him his flowers.”
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Despite his setback at the ping-pong table, Bieber secured the ultimate weekend victory by conquering the overall Fanatics Games leaderboard to claim the $1 million grand prize.
Rather than keeping the winnings for himself, Bieber elected to share his bounty with supporters and charitable causes. He awarded $500,000 directly to the event’s 50 competing fans—giving each participant a $10,000 share—and directed the remaining $500,000 to charity.
“Only at Fanatics Fest do people come together in this way,” Bieber reflects in Fanatics Fest: All Access.
The special is available now for streaming via the ESPN app, and the official trailer can be viewed below.
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