Once Again, It's Federer

FLUSHING MEADOWS, N.Y., Sept. 9 -- It was nearly two hours into Sunday's U.S. Open men's final when Novak Djokovic earned his sixth set point against Roger Federer. The young Serb had squandered his first five chances. If he could win this point on the Swiss champion's serve, he would level the match at one set apiece.

The steely eyed Federer stepped to the service line and blasted an ace.

Djokovic raised his arms in exasperation and looked to the heavens, as if asking higher powers what he had to do to beat the peerless star. But at the moment, there appears to be nothing mortals can do -- even mortals as gifted as the 20-year-old Djokovic -- to deny Federer's march toward a claim as the greatest ever to play the game.

Before an enthralled crowd of 25,230 at Arthur Ashe Stadium, Federer won his fourth consecutive U.S. Open, defeating the third-seeded Djokovic, 7-6 (7-4), 7-6 (7-2), 6-4. In doing so, he became the only man to win four consecutive U.S. Opens in the modern era.

More significantly, Federer won his 12th Grand Slam title, which moves him into a tie for second all-time with the former Australian great, Roy Emerson, and within reach of Pete Sampras's record of 14. If Federer wins three Grand Slam events next year, as he did this, he will top Sampras for the all-time mark.

"To come so close already at my age is fantastic," said Federer, 26, "and I really hope to break it."

Djokovic unloaded an arsenal of winning shots throughout the match, backed by a noble fighting spirit despite numerous stumbles on critical points. For stretches, the Serb was the better player. But he freely acknowledged Federer's superiority in the one facet of the game that made the difference.

"I was mentally weaker today on that important points than he is mentally stronger," Djokovic said. "So I think it was my mistake and my weakness today."

Both players were rewarded with standing ovations after the 2-hour 26-minute match. Federer took home the sport's record payday of $2.4 million ($1.4 million in prize money and a $1 million bonus for having dominated the series of North American hard-court tournaments preceding the season's final Grand Slam). But Djokovic leaves New York with riches of the heart.

Djokovic began the season ranked outside the top 15, an unknown face with an unknown game among even savvy tennis fans. But in the months that followed, he played his way into the top five and turned a two-man conversation about men's tennis -- revolving around Federer and Rafael Nadal -- into a three-way debate that suddenly boasts dazzling contrasts in styles, tactics and personalities.

And in recent weeks, Djokovic won over the New York crowds at the U.S. Open -- first with a gritty, early-round five-set victory over Radek Stepanek; then with riotous impersonations of Nadal and Maria Sharapova (who cheered him on from a courtside box Sunday); and again against Federer in the championship.

"Even when I didn't win that match, for me, it was very, very emotional," Djokovic said after the loss. "To get, you know, American people behind you, especially a crowd here in U.S. Open, is not so easy. You know, I made a lot of friends here in States."