Ranking the eight must-watch doubles pairings at the Paris Olympics 2024

So, ahead of this weekend, Flashscore ranks the eight most entertaining doubles pairings set to take to the court in Paris.

8. China - Zheng Qinwen and Zhang Zhizhen

World No.7 Zheng Qinwen is the new face of Chinese tennis, and her ascension in the last year has been superb to watch, even reaching the Australian Open final a few months ago. 

Zheng's favourite surface is the clay, with a lot of her best results coming on it. Her forehand is a fierce weapon on the dirt.

She comes into the Olympics having retained her Palermo title just under a week ago, so is ready to do some damage in Paris, despite her lack of doubles experience.

Her partner Zhang is unquestionably a clay court specialist, with his best results in singles coming in Rome and Madrid, where he reached the quarter-finals. 

In 2023, he became the first Chinese man to reach the quarter-finals at a Masters 1000, with his run in the Spanish capital.

He also has some positive doubles experience in 2024 under his belt, as he made the semi-finals and quarter-finals at the Australian Open and French Open respectively with someone else on this list. More on him soon.

There is honestly quite a lot to like about this duo.

7. Czech Republic - Tomas Machac and Katerina Siniakova

Tomac Machac had never won a doubles match at a Grand Slam before 2024, but this year, he reached the semi-final at the Australian Open and the quarter-finals at Roland Garros alongside Zhang, showcasing that he is certainly an improving force.

With him is nine-time Grand Slam doubles champion Katerina Siniakova - who also happens to be his girlfriend!

Siniakova is a phenomenal doubles player, and is coming off the back of triumphs at the French Open and Wimbledon. So although Machac is clearly capable, she is most certainly going to do a lot of the heavy lifting.

Unfortunately, the pair have played twice together - once in 2022 and once this year - and lost on both occasions. However, it is certainly a very fun partnership, with the added factor of being a couple certainly contributing to that!

6. Neutral - Daniil Medvedev and Mirra Andreeva

Grand Slam champion Daniil Medvedev is playing with 17-year-old Mirra Andreeva in a pairing that would almost certainly only happen because of the Olympics.

Despite his quality and consistency, Medvedev isn't the world's greatest clay court player, and to play alongside someone so young and inexperienced means no one really knows what to expect.

You can imagine both players will relish the opportunity though, in particular Andreeva, who has shown off her remarkable talent on the WTA Tour ever since she made her debut in 2022 at just 15 years old. She also recently reached the semi-finals at Roland Garros, so will be back on the same court where she claimed her best-ever result at a Slam.

She has just seen success in Iasi too, winning her first-ever WTA title, so will have bags of confidence and momentum with her. 

A completely unpredictable pairing, but that is what makes it such a captivating one!

5. Great Britain - Dan Evans and Andy Murray

Andy Murray is set to bid farewell from tennis after the Olympics, and the two-time singles Gold medalist will want to go out with a bang. The British great will not be taking part in the singles, so can focus fully on going on a deep run with Dan Evans.

Murray and Evans have some experience playing together in the past too, and the pair are well equipped to play doubles. However, Murray looked far from fit in his final Wimbledon match alongside his brother Jamie Murray a few weeks ago, so I'm not sure it's going to be the most high-quality pairing.

Despite that, Murray's final-ever appearance on a tennis court means is a must-see occasion.

4. USA - Taylor Fritz and Tommy Paul

Two players coming into the Olympics in great form, this doubles pairing should be a fantastic watch. Tommy Paul's speed and athleticism around the court, coupled with Taylor Fritz's big serving and groundstrokes could be a strong recipe for success.

Fritz in particular has grown fond of the clay, referring to himself as 'Claylor' after some good runs on the dirt this season, reaching the semi-finals in Madrid and quarter-finals in Rome.

Paul has also been playing some of the best tennis of his career - albeit on the grass - so will be full of confidence. 

Fritz and Paul are two great characters, and they should have great chemistry together. It would come as little surprise if they manage to go on a run in Paris. 

3. France - Arthur Fils and Ugo Humbert

This could be box office. Arthur Fils is the upcoming talent of French tennis and just won a first-ever ATP 500 title in Hamburg after beating Alexander Zverev in an electric final.

In front of what is guaranteed to be a raucous home crowd, Fils' athleticism and captivating brand could make for an exhilarating show on centre court.

Alongside him is Ugo Humbert, who also has plenty of ability, but at 26 years old, has yet to really hit the heights that he should be reaching. However, playing with Fils at a home Olympic tournament could propel him to bring his best tennis to the table. 

If they get the crowd involved and end up going on a run, they could become one of the most entertaining parts of the tournament.

2. USA - Taylor Fritz and Coco Gauff

'Claylor' makes another appearance on the list, this time alongside the USA women's Olympic flagbearer, Coco Gauff. 

It is a partnership that should go deep in the Olympics, such is the expertise of Gauff in doubles. A former world No.1 and reigning French Open champion, this is not a new experience for her.

Additionally, she is a former Roland Garros finalist in the singles, so clearly, she is fond of conditions here.

Both players are huge servers too, which will obviously be an important asset. It would surprise absolutely no one if this duo ended up on the podium.

1. Spain - Carlos Alcaraz and Rafael Nadal

Most definitely the headline act in all of the doubles. 22-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal says goodbye to the court where he dominated for so many years, as he plays alongside the heir to his throne, Carlos Alcaraz.

Nadal is a 14-time Roland Garros champion and will be desperate to have a proper farewell on the Parisian dirt. And who better than current French Open champion Alcaraz to have alongside him?

A 17-year age difference between the pair showcases the true generational gap, but there are just so many similarities between the Spaniards. Two freakish athletes with a gift for mesmeric shot-making, buckle up for some mesmeric tennis.

Nadal is not the player he once was, but with the youthful exuberance and vigour of Alcaraz beside him, it could be the dream combination. What a treat for the French crowd.