All-conquering Novak Djokovic out on his own in London

” Won three of four Grand Slam titles, bringing his total to 10 – four behind Rafael Nadal and seven fewer than all-time champ Federer”.

Nadal, with a win-loss record of 61-19 this season, is now ranked World No. 5.

In fact, the utility of Djokovic’s serve, and the unreliability of Federer’s own delivery, was the single outstanding contrast in their two matches at the year-enders.

And so it ended.

Fittingly, the Year of the Djoker concluded with closing championship chapter.

Murray did not add to two Grand Slam titles this year, but his consistency throughout the season has seen him finish a career-high second in the world rankings, behind the men’s dominant ruler Novak Djokovic.

But at that stage, either man could lose a match and still move on. This time there was no drama as Federer hit back from 2-4 down in the first set to claim a quick victory.

He failed to make the final of one tournament of the sixteen he entered. Djokovic is as strong as an ox, as supple as a gymnast and there is not an identifiable weakness in his game.

“I couldn’t ask for a better finish of the season, ” Djokovic said. I am just trying to cherish every moment, as a kid you dream of winning these big tournaments.

“It starts with the Australian Open, which is just around the corner”, Federer said Sunday after losing to Novak Djokovic in the title match at the ATP finals.

The 28-year-old has stomped through the season to leave his rivals trailing in his wake – securing the year-end world No. 1 ranking weeks before the London finale. This week was great again, fantastic year all round.

– The Swiss beat Djokovic 7-5, 6-2 in their Group Stan Smith round-robin match on Tuesday.

Djokovic seized the opportunity with in typically ruthless style, driving a victor down the line to seal the set.

A marathon first set looked to be heading to a tie-breaker until Nishikori got the decisive break in the 11th game before wrapping it up in 62 minutes.

Yet, when the moment demanded, Djokovic found the magic.

The clinical Djokovic teased Federer into a volley error on set point in the ninth game to move ahead. When the Swiss scattered his second double fault beyond the box, Djokovic collected his fifth World Tour Finals title and the champion’s check of $1.05 million all on coach Boris Becker’s 48th birthday.

Djokovic joins legends Pete Sampras and Ivan Lendl on five victories at the season-ending event, but the overall record is held by Federer who has come out victorious six times. In essence, in 2015 there was Novak Djokovic, daylight, some more daylight, and then everybody else.

· And Djokovic this year has faced a clearly weakened Nadal, who spent the year recovering from numerous ailments, a slowly – very slowly – aging Federer and an inconsistent Andy Murray. He’s doing everything good. He could match Nadal’s 14 Grand Slam titles in the blink of an eye – especially if Nadal fails to rally and become the force he once was at Roland Garros. Prior to this event, Djokovic had already denied him in four finals – including at Wimbledon and the US Open.

The Holy Grail, of course, remains the French Open, but that too seems only a matter of time. Unfinished business awaits him in Paris, where he will seek desperately to clinch a first French Open title. Yet the Serb is determined to continue as he has been, insisting there is no sense of urgency about reeling in the leaders of the current grand slam generation, both of whom rate among the best of all time. Serbia will be willing him on for an Olympic gold at Rio.