World No. 1 Novak Djokovic overcame great rival Roger Federer and his army of 23,000 raucous fans on Arthur Ashe Stadium to win his second US Open title, a tenth Grand Slam in total, and keep the Swiss waiting for an elusive 18th major.

After a delay of over three hours due to intermittent showers in the New York City borough of Queens, the Serb defeated six-time winner Federer in four gripping sets, 64 57 64 64, in three hours and 20 minutes.

In the second consecutive Slam title decider between the world’s top two, Federer’s attacks were continually thwarted by the unbreakable defences of Djokovic, as the Swiss brutally squandered 19 of 23 break points earned over the course of the match.

34-year-old Federer started slowly, producing only 53 per cent first serves in the opening set, and Djokovic made him pay to gain first blood in the final. Back he came in the second stanza though, winning 91 per cent of points behind his first serve and finally getting the breakthrough on the Serb’s serve, to level the contest at a set-all.

After an exchange of breaks at the start of set three, Federer was sensing that he had claimed control over a seemingly weary Djokovic. Roared on by the American crowd, desperate to see their adopted son lift a seventh US Open trophy, he pounded away on the return, earning 0-30s and 15-40s galore. But the Serb somehow escaped unblemished and used the momentum to break himself at 4-4, before serving out for a two-sets-to-one lead.

The world No. 1 then stormed to a double-break advantage in the fourth set. There was time for more drama, though, and with it, more time for the New York crowd to shower down their adoration for Federer. He broke Djokovic when he was serving for the match at 5-2, held serve and then had break chances at 5-4.

But unlike at last year’s Wimbledon, where the Swiss was able to comeback in the fourth set and force a decider, Djokovic got over the line in four to claim his third major of the year.

It was a contest that captured the world’s attention on a scale that only those between the four most successful male players of the past decade can. After the media storm surrounding Serena Williams competing for the calendar Grand Slam at Flushing Meadows, it was actually Djokovic who came even closer to achieving the feat. The only blot on his season at the majors was that loss to Stan Wawrinka in the French Open final back in June.

When asked to compare 2015 to 2011, where he also won the same three Grand Slams, Djokovic said:

“It’s definitely more difficult to repeat something like that than doing it for the first time…I’m a different player, a different person today than I was in 2011. As a father and a husband, you know, experiencing different variety of things in my life, it’s completely different approach to tennis today”.

“I feel more fulfilled. I feel more complete as a player today than I was in 2011. Physically stronger, mentally more experienced, and tougher, as well. Trying to use the experience from before into every match that I play, and especially the big ones like today”.

As he now sits on ten major titles, at just the age of 28, surely the Serb has an excellent chance of hunting down Federer’s record of 17?

“Well, we got to double digits now”, he said, “and I’m so, you know, obviously flattered and honoured to be a part of elite group of players, legends of our sports to manage to win this many Grand Slam trophies in their lives and careers”.

“So to just be mentioned alongside them is truly special. I’m 28. I have always valued the care for my body, and, you know, my mind and had this holistic approach to life”.

“I will continue on with the same kind of lifestyle, same kind of approach…Hopefully this kind of approach will give me longevity and that I can have many more years to come and many more opportunities to fight for these trophies”.

“This is why I’m playing this sport, you know, because first of all, I enjoy it, I love it, have passion for it, and then, you know, fight for the biggest trophies”.

Runner-up Federer will also be back to fight some more though and was consoled by his superb level of tennis over the past couple of months:

“I’m playing a good year, you know. I’m playing good tennis. I am happy with where my level is at. I’m able to be consistent”.

“I think it was the right game plan [all-out attack]. 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 break points. Who knows?”

On the incredible crowd support for him, Federer commented:

“I don’t consider that normal…that’s definitely one of the reasons I still keep playing, because of these moments, goose bump moments. It’s great”.

Elsewhere on the final day of action at Flushing Meadows, top seeds Martina Hingis and Sania Mirza won their second women's doubles Grand Slam crown in a row. The Swiss-Indian duo brushed aside Casey Dellacqua and Yaroslava Shvedova 63 63 in just 70 minutes, adding to their Wimbledon title together back in July.

With that, the US Open, and thus the Grand Slam season, is over for another year, but 2015 has added more unforgettable chapters to the history of our wonderful sport and has cemented Djokovic's status as one of the all-time greats.