When that machine clicks into top gear, there is nothing anyone can do, really. Novak Djokovic was at his machine-clicking-into-gear-wonderfully best, ending the run of the defending champion Marin Cilic, and with it also booking himself a place in the final of the US Open.
Djokovic was given a minor scare or two in the last couple of rounds, but in this semifinal, the result was never in doubt, as the world number one completed an as comfortable-as-they-come 6-0, 6-1, 6-2 victory over the man who won this US Open last year.
Cilic might have been struggling with an ankle injury coming into this semifinal, but even at 100%, there was only ever going to be one winner -- it was staggering tennis from Djokovic, but the kind that doesn't surprise you anymore, purely because he does it so often.
"Obviously it felt great to be able to perform as well as I did at this stage of a tournament, again, knowing that Marin carried that injury for last couple of matches," Djokovic said.
"I didn't allow that fact to distract me too much. I just wanted to concentrate on what I needed to do on the court and come out with the right intensity, make him move, get as many, you know, returns back in play.
"All in all, it was from my side a very solid match, and I take that as a confidence booster for the final."
The next step, though, is a major one. Djokovic has reached multiple finals in the US Open, but lifted that famous trophy just once. If he is to win it for a second time, he will have to get past the man who is in sublime form himself – Roger Federer.
"Expectations are always there from myself and from the people around me," Djokovic added. "I think that's normal and logical to expect that you, you know, have that pressure. You have those expectations because you set up yourself high standards with all the results last couple of years.
"I came here with a wish and a mission, as well, to reach the finals and fight for the trophy. So I got myself in that position. It's already a great result.
"But I want to get that final step on Sunday and get my hands on that trophy. Obviously I'm not the only one who wants that. We will definitely want to have the same, the same kind of mission.
"So I hope that I will be able to play my best tennis on Sunday. That's what I'm looking for. I'm used to all the expectations and pressure. It's part of what I do.
"I try to deal with those emotions on and off the court, and with this experience of being out there and competing at the highest level for the biggest trophies has helped me to reach that level again. Hopefully it's going to help me to handle myself well on Sunday."
Djokovic has now reached the final of all four Grand Slams, winning the Australian Open and Wimbledon, and he will go into this summit clash as the favourite. However, Federer has played the best tennis of this US Open so far, and the Serbian will need to produce the kind of tennis he did in that Wimbledon final not too long ago, if he is to stop the Swiss master from clinching an 18th Grand Slam title.
