A decision not to fill the fifth roster spot with doubles standout Rajeev Ram backfired in more ways than one against Italy Thursday.

Ahead of his Vienna opener, the American discusses his groundbreaking achievement, steady success with Joe Salisbury and helping pro tennis return to Indianapolis this past summer.

Will the defending champions retain their titles or is another Slam surprise in store? Doubles Take looks at the year's third major.

Also lifting the trophy in Paris was Jean-Julian Rojer, who became the oldest men's doubles winner in the Open Era, partnering Marcelo Arévalo.

Both defending champions have already proven they don’t need confidence-boosting wins or sustained momentum to conquer Paris. But in the meantime, a number of teams have established themselves as strong contenders during the clay season.

Plus, Nikola Mektic and Mate Pavic hope to rediscover their 2021 title-winning form at this week's Serbia Open.

Meanwhile, Novak Djokovic kicks off his 364th career week at No. 1—exactly seven years’ worth of weeks at No. 1.

Krejcikova/Siniakova, Shibahara/Aoyama, and Ram/Salisbury are just a few top seeds still alive.

The top seeds come into the tournament with question marks. Can they fight through a field with plenty of major champions in the mix?

The four-time major doubles champion, who achieved 2021 success with Great Britain's Joe Salisbury, is preparing for group play against Italy and Colombia this week.