I don't disagree that Nadal's forehand was off by a lot in the final. There was certainly some choking going on...which is the reason that he missed that FH in the AO you mention...nerves. What I don't agree with is that it's never been missed as much. In 2015-16 when he wasn't playing so well and his confidence was low, there were a lot more misses, and a notable choke v. Fognini at the USO. And I think you like to make out that when Nadal plays some B- level tennis, or worse, that it's really just his level, and he then pulls out a lot of matches by dint of will. This is far less often the case than you like to make out. I also disagree that Nadal choked a lot v. most of his opponents during this US Open. He actually was by far the best player of the fortnight.
What I wanted to post today, and this has not much to do with your post, Cali, but I decided to respond to you, and add my own thought, as they are related, but which was that I don't so much like it when Nadal is called a "Machine." Medvedev said it, and others have. I know they mean it as a compliment. But what the final on Sunday showed was that he's NOT a machine, he's a human being. When presented with a very good opportunity, in a situation where all of the pressure was on him to win, he got tight. And he was pretty tight for most of the match. We've discussed here that as the top guys get older, they know that these opportunities become less frequent...to even make a Major final, much less not to have to face his 2 biggest rivals. So again, this is where I disagree with you, Cali. Nadal has certainly been a great opportunist over much of his career, and so has Roger. But we see them missing sweet chances more than they used to. I think it's not so much an aging body as an "age perspective." They have a sense of how much rarer these opportunities will become for them, and feel the pressure to seize the moment. As it may not come again. Imo, that is what happened to Roger at Wimbledon this year.
I will try best, no? 
