Three-time Wimbledon champion Novak Djokovic is to play at the ATP tournament in Eastbourne in preparation for the grass-court Grand Slam.

It will be the first time the struggling Djokovic has played a grass-court event between the French Open and Wimbledon since 2010.

The 30-year-old Serb saw his French Open title defence come to a surprise halt with a straight-sets quarter-final loss to Dominic Thiem on the clay courts of Roland Garros in Paris earlier this month.

Now, following what was his quickest exit from the French Open in seven years, 12-time Grand Slam champion is to play Eastbourne, which runs from June 23-July 1 after accepting a main draw wildcard.

“This will be my first trip to Eastbourne, I have heard great things about the tournament,” said 12-time Grand Slam champion Djokovic in a statement. “I am looking forward to fine-tuning my grass-court game there ahead of Wimbledon.”

This is just the third time in his entire career that Djokovic will play a tournament in the week leading up to a Grand Slam. Wimbledon starts on July 3.

World No4 Djokovic will be Eastbourne’s top seed ahead of No2 Gael Monfils and No3 John Isner.

Originally a women’s only event, Eastbourne has been expanded to include men’s tennis as well and tournament director Gavin Fletcher said: “The quality of the men’s and women’s entries is already incredibly high, and the addition of Novak will take the event to an even higher level.”

The WTA side of the tournament features seven of the world’s top 10 female players including world No1 Angelique Kerber, Karolina Pliskova (No3), 2016 champion Dominika Cibulkova (No6), 2009 champion Caroline Wozniacki (No8), and Britain’s world No7 Johanna Konta.