Federer struggles to accept Djokovic win

For the second year in a row Djokovic saved two match points before sealing victory, but in many ways this was even more dramatic as the Serb fought back from two sets down to triumph 6-7 (7/9) 4-6 6-3 6-2 7-5.

Djokovic was a heavy favourite going into the deciding set after turning the match on its head but Federer upped his level again and it was the top seed who cracked as he was broken to love to leave his rival serving for victory.

The five-time champion looked to have it sewn up when he brought up two match points but Djokovic saved the first with an unbelievable forehand return winner and that proved the turning point, with Federer failing to win another game.

The 30-year-old said: “It’s awkward having to explain this loss because I feel like I should be doing the other press conference.

“He came back, he played well. I didn’t play so well at the very end. It’s disappointing, but I have only myself to blame. I had it. There’s no more I could do. He snaps one shot, and then the whole thing changes. It’s strange how it goes but it was a good tournament for me. Sure, I’d love to be in the finals and give myself a chance to win the title, which is not the case now. So I have to accept that and move on. I set it all up perfect, but I couldn’t finish it.”

Until Wimbledon this year Federer had never been beaten at a grand slam after winning the first two sets but, where Jo-Wilfried Tsonga first trod, Djokovic has now followed.

Federer could not help but be frustrated by the shot that defined the match, saying: “It’s just not (the shot of) a guy who believes much anymore in winning.

“To lose against someone like that, it’s very disappointing, because you feel like he was mentally out of it already. Just gets the lucky shot at the end, and off you go.

“I never played that way. I believe in hard work’s going to pay off, because early on maybe I didn’t always work at my hardest. So, for me, this is very hard to understand how can you play a shot like that on match point.”

For the first time since 2002 Federer will finish the year without a grand slam title but he remains happy about his form and vowed to come back even stronger at the Australian Open in January.