As last year's US Open began, plenty of people were wondering what was wrong with Roger Federer. Feeling sorry for the guy, even.

Federer arrived at Flushing Meadows in 2008 ranked No. 2, not No. 1. He arrived with - gasp! - zero Grand Slam titles for the season, having lost to Rafael Nadal in the finals at the French Open (a blowout) and Wimbledon (a heartbreaker). He arrived to a chorus of questions about whether Nadal had surpassed him for good.

US Open spectators rallied to Federer's side, cheering for him as if he were an underdog - rather than the man who would depart with the champion's trophy for the fifth year in a row.

"I was really blown away. I thought that was so cool," Federer said in an interview with The Associated Press. "It was like they said: 'We have to support our man here because he needs to come back to where he belongs.' It was like they wanted to push me back to the top. Winning the US Open was sort of the jump start."

Yes, as this year's last Grand Slam tournament starts on Monday, Federer is back.

15 Grand Slams

Starting with his victory in New York, Federer has won three of the last four major tournaments to raise his career total to 15 Grand Slam championships, breaking Pete Sampras' record. He is ranked No. 1 again.

And there's been more good news off the court: He's now married and a father - of twins, no less.

"You change, all of a sudden," Federer said, snapping his fingers, "from needing nine hours of sleep, to saying, 'Five is plenty."'

As Federer-the-father bids to become the first man since Rod Laver in 1969 to win three consecutive major championships in a single season, and the first since Bill Tilden in 1920-25 to win six straight titles at the American Grand Slam, it's his nemesis, Nadal, who looks to be in need of a boost.

It's Nadal who recently relinquished the No. 1 ranking, he's now at No. 3. It's Nadal whose 31-match winning streak at the French Open ended. It's Nadal who did not defend his Wimbledon title, citing sore knees.

Nadal returned to the tour this month but he acknowledges he's not in peak condition.

"You never know. You never know," said Nadal, who needs a US Open title to complete a career Grand Slam. "We will see how I am physically."

There are other men in the mix, to be sure.

Andy Murray, for example, is ranked No. 2 and hoping to win one more match at the US Open than he did in 2008, when he reached his first major final.

Roddick a new man

Andy Roddick, the 2003 champion, is a new man, with a trimmer physique, a more varied game and the confidence that comes with a strong run at Wimbledon - even if it did end disappointingly for the American with a 16-14 loss to Federer in the longest fifth set in Grand Slam final history.

Novak Djokovic of Serbia seems likely to add to his lone Grand Slam title one day. But right now, men's tennis comes down to the pair known as Rog and Rafa: One or the other has won 16 of the last 17 major championships. They played each other in seven of those finals.

No woman really seems to rival Serena Williams when it comes to major tournaments lately.

Like Federer, she is the defending champion at the US Open.

Like Federer, she has won three of the last four Grand Slam titles. Her career haul is 11, the most among active women.

Dinara Safina and Elena Dementieva, meanwhile, would love to get just one. Safina, younger sister of 2000 US Open champion Marat Safin, is winless in three major finals. When last seen at a Grand Slam, she was getting thumped 6-1, 6-0 by Venus Williams in the Wimbledon semi-finals. At least Dementieva held a match point against Serena Williams before losing to her at that stage at the All England Club.