NEW YORK -- Moments after his latest triumph, Novak Djokovic leaped up to the player's box to kiss his wife and lock heads with mentor Boris Becker. It was exactly the outcome the world No. 1's camp had hoped for -- a US Open title, the latest in his already robust Grand Slam stash.
Roger Federer kept his steady gaze forward. The composed Swiss player did not look happy after losing 6-4, 5-7, 6-4, 6-4 in the men's final.
"I know why I lost the match very clearly," Federer said. "The moment I sat down at 5-2 down in the fourth or after, the match was over."
There was no mystery about it. Federer won just four of 23 break points. The number stood out on the box score like it was written in red pen by a disappointed teacher. That's a 17 percent success rate, an "F" in any class.
"I think it was the right game plan," Federer said. "Just execution sometimes was missing in some crucial moments. But other than that, I think I played a good match. Maybe I haven't played this offensive for a very long time, and that's maybe the reasons, as well, why maybe I was slightly shaky when it came to the crunch on the break points."
Federer served well, notching 11 aces to just three from Djokovic, but the Swiss donated 54 unforced errors, whereas the top seed had only 37.
A performance like that was in direct contrast to the rest of his season. Federer reached two Grand Slam finals for the first time since 2009. It may seem like a long time ago to the 34-year-old Federer, but from 2004 to 2007 he won three Grand Slam titles in the same season three different times.
Federer's best days aren't behind him; it's more that Djokovic's best has been too good. Like Sunday at the US Open, the Serbian blocked Federer -- the No. 2 player in the world -- at the Wimbledon final as well in another four-setter.
But rather than become discouraged, Federer got better. He didn't drop a single set during the US Open until the final -- this after a rain delay held up the start of the match for more than three hours under a half-finished retractable roof.
Don't worry, Federer told the crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium after the loss, he will be back next year.
"Yeah, I mean, I am playing a good year, you know," Federer said. "I'm playing good tennis. I am happy with where my level is at. I'm able to be, you know, consistent, very consistent. I'm able to beat the best players regularly. Cincinnati obviously was a great feeling beating world No. 1 and world No. 2 in the same week. I don't think I have done that before. And then of course it's also disappointment. Lost too many times in finals."
But now Federer has made his intentions known: There is always next year.