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He came and conquered. The bucket hat-donning Spaniard with the audacious drop-shots and the ripping forehands. The new phenom of men's tennis and slayer of Novak Djokovic's grass throne. Carlos 'Carlitos' Alcaraz.
There had long been a feeling a star was upon us. But how big was this so-called star without 'the big three' to serve as a measuring tool? Big enough to overcome Casper Ruud and be crowned US Open champion, big enough to play his way to world No 1. But big enough to outlast, outclass, ruffle and repel a peak Novak Djokovic hurtling towards Calendar Slam history?
Weeks ago Alcaraz admitted the stress of competing against Djokovic had contributed to the cramps he suffered during his French Open defeat to the Serbian, whose aura of inevitability lingered at the height of its powers with his favoured All England Club and a 24th Grand Slam crown in sight.
A quick-learning Alcaraz cut a new figure of authority across the fortnight at SW19, his mental resilience as potent as his incredible ball-striking en route to a final in which he blind-eyed the storied success of the man staring him down and went toe-to-toe with the tennis great.
Others would have folded in the face of a 1-6 first-set deficit. Others would have succumbed to Djokovic's might in what became a 26-minute break of serve consisting of 13 deuces. Others would have surrendered to Djokovic's winning streak of 15 straight tiebreaks. Others would have given in to the mind games of Djokovic's six-minute bathroom break between sets. Alcaraz is not like the 'others'.
Brad Pitt, Daniel Craig and Emma Watson watched on as Alcaraz shredded the script and formed his own picket in defiance of an imperious Djokovic. King Felipe of Spain watched on wondering how he and his nation could ever be so lucky as to transition from Rafa to Carlos.