Will Daniil Medvedev play doubles at a Grand Slam for the first time since 2017?

Will a (possible) surprise appearance on the doubles court at Roland Garros be the key to Daniil Medvedev kick-starting his season? The former world No. 1 will arrive in Paris ranked outside the Top 10, and for the first time in nearly a decade, has entered a Grand Slam tournament in doubles.

Medvedev has only played doubles at a Grand Slam twice previously, both in 2017, but has entered the major played on his least favorite surface with Brazil's Marcelo Demoliner, according to the tournament itself. At Roland Garros eight years ago, Medvedev paired with James Cerretani and lost in the first round; later that season at the US Open, he reached the second round with Mikhail Elgin.

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While has a losing career record of 18-27 in doubles at ATP level, he reached the quarterfinals at all three clay-court Masters 1000 events in 2019 alongside Demoliner. He played five events in doubles last season, after not playing any doubles events in 2023, and went 2-5.

See the Roland Garros doubles entry lists: Men | Women

Medvedev isn't the only major name making a rare appearance on the doubles court in Paris. Nick Kyrgios has entered the tournament with fellow Aussie Jordan Thompson, while Stefanos Tsitsipas is entered with his brother, Petros.

Kyrgios has not played at Roland Garros in any capacity in eight years, and said a return to the tournament "was never really on the cards" for him after returning from a nearly two-year injury hiatus either ... until Thompson's regular partner, Max Purcell, accepted an 18-month suspension for a self-reported anti-doping rule violation.

Read more: Quote of the Day: Nick Kyrgios came “pretty close to crying" after first win since 2022

"The French Open was never really on the cards," Kyrgios told the *Canberra Times*. "But after the stuff with Max Purcell, Jordan was looking for a partner and he asked me if I wanted to play.

"We've played at the French Open before [in 2017, upsetting Nicolas Mahut and Pierre-Hugues Herbert along the way], so it'll be good to get out there and play with another fellow Aussie and have a bit of fun."

While there are no surprises on the women's list, the event will not see back-to-back champions. Last year, Coco Gauff teamed at the last minute with Katerina Siniakova to win the women's title, after Taylor Townsend was forced to miss the event with injury; this year, Townsend is set to return in Paris after suffering a concussion at the Miami Open in March. Gauff has not entered the event.