Three Thoughts: Djokovic tops Federer for 10th major at U.S. Open

Three thoughts on Novak Djokovic's 6-4, 5-7, 6-4, 6-4 win over Roger Federer in the U.S. Open final.

NEW YORK—A few days before Djokovic won his eighth Grand Slam singles title at the Australian Open, I wrote the following:

Djokovic has a chance to enter an entirely new plane of tennis excellence in 2015. He has seven major titles to his name; in his prime and just 27, this season should yield more.

I believe I know what Djokovic is capable of, but it’s time for him to prove it—again, and again, and again.

Again (in Melbourne), and again (at Wimbledon), and just now, at the U.S. Open, again, Djokovic has proven that he is one of the greatest players to ever swing a racquet. With his 10th Grand Slam title secured, he is a living legend, an all-time champion, the superb Serb. Whatever you want to call him, Djokovic’s place in the annals of tennis continues to grow in import.

Throughout the fortnight in Flushing Meadows, I had felt that Serena Williams’ quest for the calendar-year Grand Slam had overshadowed the men’s tournament, and for good reason. Had it come to pass, it would have felt odd to me that it didn’t serve as the denouement of the entire event. So perhaps it is fitting that another crowning achievement took its place. With double-digit majors, Djokovic is now one behind Bjorn Borg and Rod Laver, and can at least see 14-time Grand Slam champions Pete Sampras and Rafael Nadal in the distance.

Djokovic is the undisputed No. 1 at the moment; where he goes from here is anyone’s guess. But if he continues on this illustrious path, one of the possible scenarios sees him entering another new plane of tennis excellence—again.

They started in the evening, one wearing a blue shirt, the other in pink shoes. The crowd was overwhelmingly one-sided and as loud as the music played during changeovers. And yet this match could not have felt more like the Wimbledon final these two just played in July. It was another four-set win for Djokovic that felt like a constant struggle for Federer, against both his opponent and himself. The first sets were certainly different—it could have went either way at the All England Club—but once again, after rediscovering his form in set two, Federer was unable to sustain it. Meanwhile, Djokovic’s physical and relentless tennis made the outcome seem a foregone conclusion just a few games into the fourth set.

It seemed that way, at least, until Federer reached 15-40 on Djokovic’s second attempt to serve out the match, at 4-5. The raucous, pro-Federer fans were about to blow the half-roof off Arthur Ashe Stadium. But Federer was unable to convert either break chance, along with another that followed, before Djokovic sealed the victory (to great relief). The world No. 2 broke down on break points throughout the match; he was just four of 23 overall.

The turning point of the match may have come in the third set, when Djokovic held from 0-30 at 2-3, and then saved two break points in his next service game at 3-4. It represented both Djokovic’s most evident lapse and evidence of his resolve, and it was an opportunity lost for Federer. Then, after cruising on serve for games, Federer suffered a momentum-killing break at 4-4. Federer had been broken just twice in six matches at the Open, but was broken twice in his first four service games against Djokovic.

Federer and Djokovic each have 21 wins against the other. But at the majors, Djokovic has won seven of their last nine matches. In best-of-five set competition, the best player in the world is given the time to prevail.

When I look back at this tournament, I’ll remember Grandstand’s grand finale, staying up all night with Fabio Fognini and Rafael Nadal, and Roberta Vinci. I’ll also remember something that happened before the tournament began: 34-year-old Federer practicing with 34-year-old Lleyton Hewitt. The two veterans, who had played a combined 2,149 singles matches prior to the 2015 Open, traded every shot imaginable inside Louis Armstrong Stadium for over an hour one weekday afternoon. The entire lower bowl was filled with spectators transfixed in silence. The only thing quieter was Federer, who only communicated with a slight nod during the first 10 minutes of the hitting session. There were no smiles or smirks, just strokes and swings. All business.

It has been a long time since Federer last won a Grand Slam singles title—three years, two months, and five days, to be exact. What we can’t quantify is how many how many tennis balls he has it during that span, in match play and practice, to keep himself a championship contender at an age many pundits deem over the hill. Federer has changed racquets, added a coach, and expanded his family, but he is steadfast in his belief that he still has the game and motivation to win majors. Speaking to the crowd after his defeat, Federer said his game “is going in the right direction,” while Djokovic said the 17-time Grand Slam champion is still improving.

Whether Federer eventually wins major title No. 18 remains to be seen. But I know two things:

1. The gap between Federer and those below him feels as wide as it did when Nadal was the clear-cut No. 2 for so many years in the mid-to-late 2000s.

2. In the end, both Federer and Djokovic received hearty applause, and they both deserved it.