There are different types and levels of domination, and throughout the week in London, Novak Djokovic gradually hit the highest level of all. He dominated quietly. Without fanfare. Implacably. Inarguably. Almost serenely.
On Sunday, he capped it all off and concluded a career year that eclipsed even his sublime 2011 with a magnificent immolation of Roger Federer in the ATP World Tour Finals. It was top-ranked Djokovic's fourth consecutive win in the year-end championships and his fifth overall (equaling one of his coaches, Boris Becker).
Djokovic calmly, almost methodically, crushed an aggressive, sometimes brilliant Federer, who was desperate for an 11th-hour effort to end his year on a high note. The Serbian won 6-3, 6-4 in just 1 hour, 20 minutes.
It's a tribute to Djokovic that, despite his top seeding, the week-long event in London seemed to be about anyone but him. There was much chatter of Rafael Nadal's late-season surge. Could he possibly snatch his year from what, for him, had to be a black hole of frustration?
There was Stan Wawrinka and his brutal ground game, suddenly looking just as good on hard courts as clay. And then there was Andy Murray, who, in front of his home fans, fought hard despite publically stating that next week's Davis final is a priority.
And, of course, there was Federer. Full-flight Roger Federer. The one man, many felt, who had the tools, experience and brassy self-regard to challenge Djokovic. He was, after all, 2-4 against Djokovic -- and 2-2 in best-of-three-set matches on hard courts.
After the match, all Federer could do was tip his hat to the way Djokovic stood firm, absorbing every blow without flinching, as Federer went down swinging.
"It's hard to do," Federer said in his postmatch press conference. "It's hard to play at this pace all the time. Doesn't need much, you know. We're talking margins.
"You don't win a break point, he does, or vice versa -- it changes the whole outcome of the match. You can't always be on the winning side. Margins are small at the very top. That's why this year of Novak's is amazing. Rafa has been there. I've been there. We both know how hard it is to back it up, year after year."
Djokovic did indeed back it up in 2015. Week after week, month after month. In 2011, which was also a spectacular year for Djokovic (70-6, 10 titles; 12 fewer wins with one fewer title than this year), he broke down physically and also ran out of gas late in the year. Not in 2015. That's the major difference between his two great years.
"Even after the Grand Slam season was done, I was still managing to find that freshness and energy to keep on going and keep playing well," Djokovic said in his news conference. "That's the key, more or less. I've been trying to really pay as equal attention to the work and the recovery as well, mental and physical. It allows me to have the longevity."
Implacable.
In London, Federer was kitted out like a monk in somber with simple shades of gray gear, the beginnings of sideburns and a beard lending him a surprisingly -- and uncharacteristically -- dangerous look. It proved to be no idle threat, though. Federer handed Djokovic just his sixth loss of the year in the round-robin segment -- a win that nudged Federer back out in front in their rivalry, 23-22.
But at that stage, either man could lose a match and still move on. The final was a different story -- and a different Djokovic. He wasn't exactly going through the motions in the first match; in the final, his shots had more purpose and sting. His serve was a particularly valuable weapon.
The score line may suggest it was an easy win for Djokovic. It was anything but.
Nobody, not even a dominant Djokovic, beats the most prolific Grand Slam champion of all time with ease on a day when Federer is not far off his best. And at times -- many times -- it seemed as if Federer was one backhand winner away from jamming his foot in the door, getting right back into the match. He was in many of Djokovic's service games. He was constantly in Djokovic's face.
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.
The takeaway: Djokovic was able to muster what he most needed when it most mattered. It is why he dominates, even if he doesn't beat his chest and bellow. Instead, he dominates quietly with the assurance of a man at the absolute peak of his powers.
So where does Djokovic go from here? He's still just 28 and has 10 Grand Slam titles. His wins at the three Grand Slam events this year (Djokovic only lost in the French Open final) reinforced the feeling that he has truly become a man for all surfaces and all events. 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.
Djokovic is aware that he has had a brush with perfection this year, and it has left him somewhat humbled -- and hungry to continue his pursuit of the state.
"Overall [this season has] been as close to perfection as it can get," Djokovic said. "[I feel] just blessed and overwhelmed with the emotion and the thrill to be achieving such a great season. It inspires me even more to keep on going and hopefully playing on this level in the future."
With Federer now 34, Nadal struggling and Murray not always present in the conversation at the top, what -- or who -- is there to stop Djokovic from dominating any old way he wants?