Novak Djokovic Ends Near Perfect Year with ATP World Tour Title

Both finalists were history men, but Novak Djokovic underlined that he has more of it in front of him than does Roger Federer when he beat the Swiss in two sets to become the first player to win the ATP World Tour Finals title four years in a row.

Roger Federer of Switzerland waits for the trophy ceremony after losing to Novak Djokovic of Serbia in their ATP World Tour Finals final tennis match at the O2 Arena in London, Sunday, Nov. 22, 2015.

"Even though it's never fun being on the not-winning side, it's good to be playing at all", Federer said, in reference to his last-minute withdrawal from last year's final.

With Federer now 34, Nadal struggling and Murray not always present in the conversation at the top, the World No. 1 should be hard to stop. He lost the next three points to face two break points and, missing three straight first serves, the Serb broke for the set, 6-3. Federer knew that if he tried to rally with Djokovic from the back of the court, he was in trouble - it would be like standing in front of a steam roller armed with no more than a winning smile. "For me it's an advantage because I guess it gives me a bit of confidence", Federer, who has accounted for half of Djokovic's meagre six defeats this year, told reporters.

Permission to use quotations from this article is granted subject to appropriate credit being given to www.theeagleonline.com.ng as the source. "It's been a long season, but the best of my life". "I've been there. We both know how hard it is to back it up, year after year".

"I'm just trying to enjoy every moment on the court, cherish every moment that I play competing on such a level".

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. The 28-year-old continues to go from strength to strength, and another dominant year awaits in 2016.

"Usually I go into a season with two or three really big goals, then maybe four or five other ones that are really important to you". Federer, who eliminated Japan's Kei Nishikori in the round-robin phase, had beaten Djokovic in pool play but could not keep up on this day.

After Federer brought the tournament to a close in anti-climactic fashion with a double-fault, Djokovic wrote: "And now for vacation" on the camera lens in Serbian.

"I'm very proud for achievement", Djokovic said.

The top-ranked men's player won three Grand Slams and 11 titles in 16 tournaments overall. "My motivation has always been just personal, that I want to improve myself, I want to be better". Roger Federer had in fact quelled Djokovic thrice in their seven matches before this clash- in Dubai in February, Cincinnati in August and earlier this week in the group stage at London. It was close. First six games were tough, to be down 2-4.

So this victory produced the ideal end to a near-perfect year for the stand-out player of the season, as Djokovic was quick to admit: "Absolutely. I think we had a good year together". This week was great again, the fantastic year all round. He'll be less familiar with the surroundings in Rio although he remembers fondly his trip to Brazil to play exhibition matches in 2012.