Hoisting the title trophy high in the air was about the only time all day the world No. 1 took his eyes off the prize and soaked up his surroundings.
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Djokovic’s 6-3 6-4 victory made him the first man ever to win the season-ending tournament four times in a row and brought him his 11th title of a remarkable year. For Djokovic. this concludes what has been an incredible year.
“I’m very proud, together with my team, for the achievements of the season”. “It could not have been a better finish”.
Asked about his ambitions for next season, the world No 1 said: “It has been the best season of my life”. Without their support and my family, I wouldn’t be where I am.
“I’m just trying to enjoy every moment on the court, cherish every moment that I play competing on such a level”. Already the Federer first serve was missing the spot and with the kind of precise returning that Djokovic can produce, the result was not in doubt.
Had the Serbian won the French Open, there would surely be no argument about it being the best season in tennis history. I had to change something and I did. On the other side, Roger played tactically very well and was just a better player a few days ago. “I’d just like to say how happy I am that I could play today”.
The serve set the tone.
The first breakthrough for Djokovic came in the third game. Yet Djokovic triumphed in the really big ones this year, winning the Wimbledon and US Open finals in four sets. I played great on clay, as well. I tried my best this week, . “Still high-quality match, I thought”. Thought I played some great tennis, even in the finals: some points were insane. Congratulations on a ridiculous year. And they had also met in six finals, two of them Grand Slams, three of them Masters. “Three straight wins against top-eight players, that’s great news for me”.
Like in his semi-final against Stan Wawrinka, Federer was not afraid to rush the net. Nadal, who has looked stronger than he has done for a while this week, was unable to carve out a single break point during an hour or so of chilling tennis from Djokovic, who managed to win while keeping some of his powder for Federer. Pressed to 30-all in the next game, Djokovic banged an ace out wide to back up the break.
“It would have been nice to serve a little bit better early on in the match, play better overall on his second serve, because he does allow you to play on his second serve, ” said Federer, who lost to Djokovic in the 2012 final and pulled out of last year’s championship match against the Serb with a back injury. But when the top-seeded was stressed he had the answer cranking crosscourt backhands into Federer’s weaker backhand wing.
“It was close. First six games were tough, to be down 4-2”.
Djokovic, so consistent on his groundstrokes, earned two set points when he put Federer in an awkward position with a searing backhand that the Swiss could only prod into the net. Federer then double faulted on matchpoint to end the 80-minute affair.
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But although Federer held a 22-21 lead in his head-to-head record with Djokovic, ominously the 28-year-old Serb had taken the silverware in 10 of their 16 career final meetings, including at Wimbledon and the US Open this year.
