All seems to be in order in the men’s side of the US Open as the top two seeds came through and will be facing each other in Monday’s final.

However, beneath this calm surface, there have been some tectonic shifts in men’s tennis. Some players might have emerged from a phase of under-performance while some others have some questions to answer to themselves.

The big story from New York is a sad one. We finally have to admit that the big four has now become the big three, with Roger Federer falling to number seven, and worse, simply not looking good enough. Federer is a player we all love and he will remain etched in my mind as the greatest player I have seen.

His game is still all right and there are flashes of the golden past every so often. However, he seems to be struggling with his mind and his motivation and desire for playing the game is something he needs to introspect about. Federer still has good performances left in him, but does he wish to continue? As a proud sportsman with a stellar record, he needs to find answers.

The other story is Andy Murray who needs to re-focus on some new goals. The monkey of not winning Wimbledon is off his back and he should now look at enjoying the game by setting new challenges for himself. He has developed wonderfully over the past five years into a physically strong and strategically smart player. However, the hardcourt season gave very little evidence of this and even at the US Open, he looked a pale shadow what he was last year. He made the semi-finals but looked completely out of sorts against an aggressive Stanislas Wawrinka. Nothing to worry about as yet, but he needs to work on his focus.

Novak Djokovic has made the finals but he would be the first to admit that he has not found his A-game in the tournament so far. His radar has been off at times, and he has been making too many unforced errors. Even in the semifinals on Saturday afternoon he got by Wawrinka — who has had a splendid tournament — because he summoned all his mental strength to win the fifth set against a tiring opponent. A similar performance will not win him the title. Something is missing since he lost in the French to Rafael Nadal.

Which brings us to the story of the tournament. Nadal has not put a foot wrong in New York since he entered Flushing Meadows. What a year he has had. He first missed eight months due to injury, then won the French Open, lost early in Wimbledon, won two titles in the hardcourt season and is now in the US Open final.

I have never seen him play better on this surface and there is simply no evidence of that dodgy knee. He has been in supreme form and his service, as well as his forehand, has never looked this good at the US Open. He was clinical against a very good, in-form Richard Gasquet and it will take a humongous performance from Djokovic to vanquish the Spaniard. I would not like to write off the top seed, but Nadal in this form would take some beating.

— Gameplan