Before the US Open began, Carlos Alcaraz was asked to write a message to himself on a slip of paper.
The Spaniard wrote: "Go for it. Don't be afraid."
Handed the paper after his stunning performance to beat Jannik Sinner in the final, securing a sixth Grand Slam title and the world number one ranking in the process, Alcaraz smiled and said: "I think that's something I did today".
The Alcaraz that turned up to the New York final was a different beast to the one that lost in the Wimbledon showpiece eight weeks ago.