Federer’s conversion rate in finals has dipped especially in the past few years, coinciding with the rise of Djokovic and Murray.
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Djokovic won three Grand Slams in 2015 and becomes the first player to win four straight titles at the ATP finals in its 46-year history.
“Obviously, I’m very proud, with my team, for the achievements this season”, he said. “This could not have been a better finish. It’s been a long season, but the best of my life”, said Djokovic on the day that coach Boris Becker celebrated his 48th birthday. Without the support of those closest to me I wouldn’t be managing to get to where I am.
“I am enjoying every moment on the court, I cherish every moment after dreaming of it as a kid”, he said.
While Federer and Rafael Nadal lead Djokovic on the all-time list of Grand Slam champions, with 17 and 14 titles respectively to his 10, the world No 1 certainly has their measure at the moment.
Sunday’s final not only reinforced Djokovic’s master class, it also highlighted Federer’s tendency to stumble at the last hurdle.
But while Djokovic just completed a year of dominance, it was also a year of disappointment for several other players. You can hardly argue with a player taking the year-end finale when he has compiled one of the all-time great seasons in men’s tennis. Hopefully a better one for me. My motivation has always been just personal, that I want to improve myself, I want to be better.
The serve set the tone.
Djokovic again applied pressure on the Federer serve in the next game. He won 16 of 19 second-serve points (84 percent), compared to nine of 21 second-serve points (42 percent) for his opponent. During that same time frame, Stan Wawrinka has won more majors than Federer and Nadal combined. But the performance (against Nadal) definitely gives me reason to believe that I’ll do that. I tried my best this week, .
Peter Bodo has been covering tennis for over 35 years, mostly recently for ESPN. Congratulations on a ridiculous year.
This time he could not pull off a miracle, double-faulting on Djokovic’s second match point.
With the stakes raised, though, the 34-year-old Federer made far too many errors on Sunday, while Djokovic’s defenses proved largely impenetrable, but for the odd flash of Swiss magic that had his large red and white fan club chanting their approval. This was a power struggle between World Tour Finalists commanders who had combined to win 10 of the last 12 season-ending championships between them.
“In the 2014 semis, Federer and Wawrinka had a bust-up”.
On the court, both Djokovic and Federer had break chances in the opening two games, but both managed to save them. Pressed to 30-all in the next game, Djokovic banged an ace out wide to back up the break. The third seed’s serve was not as sharp as it was in his straight-sets sweep of Djokovic on Tuesday. On the first set point a backhand overhead saved him, but not on the second.
Not that Federer’s first ace helped a great deal. “He’s playing great”, Federer was quoted as saying by Emirates 24/7.
Credit Federer for hanging tough.
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Needing to hold his serve, Djokovic brutally opened two match points and broke again to win his fifth title at the O2 Arena. The Serb then hit a passing shot wide to set up a break point opportunity.
