As it turned out, the first day of play in Paris sans Rafa went off without a hitch.

The No. 1 seed at Roland Garros got us thinking about some other ambitious crossovers.

Medvedev was on cloud nine after winning his first clay-court title to cap what has been a joyful spring, both professionally and personally.

Stefanos Tsitsipas and Aryna Sabalenka can both reach the top spot for the first time in Paris this year.

Is the clay-court Grand Slam really as wide open as we think? We break down the bracket.

There’s a reason a statue of Rafael Nadal stands outside Court Philippe Chatrier on the southwest outskirts of Paris.

Plus, which home favorite is the International Tennis Hall of Famer keeping tabs on in a city that never grows old?

Also: Elena Rybakina breaks into the Top 5, Holger Rune hits another new high and Zheng Qinwen cracks the Top 20.

“I still kind of don’t believe it—not that I won it, but that I played so well this week,” said the Russian after winning his first clay-court title, in Rome.

Medvedev was previously known almost exclusively for his prowess on hard courts, with 18 of his previous 19 titles coming on that surface—the other was on grass in Mallorca.