Novak Djokovic defeated Roger Federer in the US Open final and here are five things we learned
The Serb added another title with four set victory
Monday 14 September 2015 18:00, UK
After Novak Djokovic was crowned as US Open champion, we pick out five things we learned from his superb final win over Roger Federer.
The world No 1 battled back from a set down to complete a 6-4 5-7 6-4 6-4 win over Federer, adding a third Grand Slam title for the year.
But what did we learn from his latest title triumph?
Serb is simply too good
Djokovic again demonstrated how he stands apart in the men's game, overcoming his nearest rival in impressive fashion after Federer briefly threatened a fightback.
Applying pressure from the start, Djokovic was determined to stamp his authority on an opponent who he had beaten eight times in their last 10 matches.
He broke Federer almost at will in the opening set and calmly wrestled back control after dropping the second, breaking his Swiss opponent at key times on the way to victory.
Djokovic had shown glimpses of vulnerability in the build-up, losing to Andy Murray and Roger Federer in the finals of two warm-up tournaments.
He was only denied a calendar Grand Slam by that surprise defeat to Stan Wawrinka in the French Open final and is well ahead of the chasing pack in the men's rankings.
Novak nullifies 'SABR' attacks
Roger Federer's aggressive returning tactics have created plenty of debate in recent months, with pundits questioning his decision to almost charge an opponent's serve.
Dubbed as the SABR, which stands for 'sneak attack by Roger', this high-risk tactic was only briefly adopted by Federer in the final.
Djokovic refused to let Federer intimidate him from the other side of the net and the world No 2 was forced to swiftly ditch this game plan.
Watching from the stands, Djokovic would have earned the approval of coach Boris Becker, who had suggested that Federer was 'almost disrespecting' an opponent's serve with this ploy.
Conquering the crowd.
Djokovic was forced to contend with a hostile crowd while attempting to win his second US Open title at the Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Federer had the full support of the New York fans, who cheered his every point and celebrated every error from the top seed.
But Djokovic refused to lose his cool in the red-hot atmosphere, earning praise from Sky Sports expert Greg Rusedski.
"It was absolutely perfect from a tactical point of view," said Rusedski. "I'm sure Boris said to him: 'I don't want to see the emotion out there, I don't want to see any anger.'
"You've got to stay calm, you cannot blink. If you do, the crowd will get on your back completely and he played a blinder tonight, so mentally it was an extraordinary performance."
Federer falls short again
The 17-time Grand Slam winner could not add to his haul, despite an impressive run to the final, including a masterful victory over compatriot Wawrinka.
Federer's recent final win over Djokovic at the Cincinnati Masters had raised hopes of his first Grand Slam title since Wimbledon 2012.
But Federer, even with the passionate fans behind him, could not hold Djokovic at bay and his barren run without a major crown will extend into next year.
His long-standing rival had also inflicted a four-set defeat at Wimbledon in July, although Federer did take some comfort from reaching the last day of the competition for the first time since 2009.
"Being back in the finals is where you want to be," said Federer. "Playing against a great champion like Novak is a massive challenge and I enjoyed it. I thought it was a great match."
"I love the sport, I've got a lot of passion and one last thing, I'll see you guys next year."
Best year ever?
Djokovic will be able to look back at one of the most successful years of his career and the 10-time major winner admits he is enjoying another golden spell.
Back in 2011, the 28-year-old also collected titles at the Australian Open, Wimbledon and the US Open, prompting Becker to describe this feat as one of the 'best years in tennis of all time.'
But Djokovic only reached the semi-finals of the French Open that year, losing to Federer, while this summer he came agonisingly close to winning at Roland Garros for the first time as he was denied by Wawrinka in the final.
He refused to put his present accomplishments above 2011, but has revealed that his passion for the sport is stronger than ever.
"It's been an incredible season. Next to 2011 probably the best season of my life," said Djokovic, who won the same three major titles in 2011. "But I'm enjoying this year more than any previous one because I'm a husband and I'm a father and that makes it even more sweeter."
