Tennis player Diego Dedura-Palomero risks offending Christians everywhere as he performs one of the sport’s wildest and weirdest celebrations

Young German tennis player Diego Dedura-Palomero made his mark on tennis in more than one way Tuesday – and might have lost some fans while doing so.

The 17-year-old became the first player born in 2008 to win a match on the ATP Tour and celebrated the feat with a unique celebration.

After his opponent Denis Shapovalov retired when trailing 7-6 (2), 3-0 in their first-round match at the BMW Open in Munich, Dedura-Palomero used his feet to scrape out a cross on the Munich clay before lying down on top of it as he appeared to impersonate Jesus Christ’s crucifixion.

Dedura-Palomero said he was ‘quite religious’ and the celebration was ‘a gesture of gratitude’ in comments reported by German news agency dpa.

However, some tennis fans on social media weren’t impressed with the celebration.

‘That’s very odd, especially at Easter,’ posted one fan on X.

Dedura-Palomero was elated after his shock win at the BMW Open in Munich

‘What an unsportsmanlike celebration, after an opponent retires. Very strange,’ replied another.

‘Inappropriate celebration, rubbing it in over an injured opponent and then doing something that could be seen as mocking to Christian people afterwards. Not a fan,’ wrote a third.

However, tennis journalist Ben Rothenberg defended the youngster’s bizarre act.

‘I don’t really match the anger here, btw… let the child be hype about a career-changing result!’ Rothenberg said.

‘He was up a set and 3-0 before Shapovalov retired, so a victory had been earned when the stoppage came.

‘And if his celebration is too much… maybe everyone else is doing too little.’

Only four players younger than Dedura-Palomero – including a 16-year-old Boris Becker in 1984 – have ever won at the storied Munich tournament, the ATP said. 

The most recent was Romanian Dinu Pescariu, who had just turned 17 when he upset John McEnroe in 1991.

The teenager used his feet to scrape out a cross on the clay before lying down on top of it

Dedura-Palomero told press afterwards that he was ‘quite religious’

Dedura-Palomero wasn’t even meant to be playing Tuesday. The teenager from Berlin had lost in qualifying to Alexander Bublik but got a place in the main draw when Gael Monfils withdrew. 

After his win against the eighth-seeded Shapovalov, Dedura-Palomero goes on to play Zizou Bergs in the second round.

Also Tuesday in Munich, Mariano Navone upset third-seeded Felix Auger-Aliassime 2-6, 6-4, 7-6 (3), fourth-seeded Ugo Humbert beat Nicolas Jarry 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, and fifth-seeded Francisco Cerundolo won 6-0, 6-2 against Jan-Lennard Struff. There was another upset as German wild card Yannick Hanfmann ousted sixth-seeded Jakub Mensik 7-6 (4), 4-6, 6-3.