He certainly left his indelible mark in Paris. A larger-than-life statue was erected near an entrance to the tournament grounds in 2021, while he was still active; a ceremony honoring him will be held Sunday in the main stadium, Court Philippe-Chatrier, after the first three matches of Day 1.

For the first time since Rafael Nadal called time on his extraordinary career, the French Open begins without the looming prospect of its most dominant champion, and while Roland-Garros turns the page on a golden era,