World No. 1 player Roger Federer of Switzerland clinched his 12th Grand Slam title Sunday by taking out Serbia's Novak Djokovic 7-6 (7-4), 7-6 (7-2) and 6-4 in the men's single final of the 2007 US Open. 
  

Roger Federer of Switzerland poses with the trophy after winning his match against Novak Djokovic of Serbia in the men's final of the U.S. Open tennis tournament in Flushing Meadows, New York, Sept. 9, 2007.

With his victory over Djokovic, Federer became the first man in the Open Era to capture four consecutive US Open singles titles, and the first man in history to do so since Bill Tilden accomplished the monumental feat between 1920 and 1923.
  
Top seed Federer is in second place among Open Era Grand Slam leaders, tied with Roy Emerson; remaining in first place is Peter Sampras, who won a total of 14 major singles titles.
  
"I think about it a lot now. To come so close at my age is fantastic, and I hope to break it," said Federer.
  
Asked how many Slams he can win, he said: "I don't know. I hope more than Pete." 
  

Roger Federer of Switzerland celebrates after winning his match against Novak Djokovic of Serbia in the men's final of the U.S. Open tennis tournament in Flushing Meadows, New York, Sept. 9, 2007.

The Swiss superstar actually began rewriting history with his semifinal win over Russian Nikolay Davydenko, extending his own record of most consecutive Grand Slam finals to 10. He is also the first man to reach all four Grand Slam finals in a calendar year for two years in a row.
  
The 20-year-old Djokovic, in his first Slam final, wasted a total of seven set points in the opening two sets when he led at 6-5. In the first he held five set points. In the second, he held two.
  
"He knows what it feels like to be in that kind of situation. He knows how to cope with the pressure," said Djokovic, "For me, this is something new."
  
Djokovic had one last chance to catch back, getting to love-40 when his rival served at 2-2 in the third set. But the Swiss took five points in a row, making the Serbian 2-for-9 on break chances.
  
"I have to look positive. Next time I hope I'm going to hold that trophy," said Djokovic.
  
Having come into the US Open as the US Open Series winner, Federer takes home a US$1 million bonus, which brings his total prize money for the championship run to US$2.4 million, the largest payout in the history of the sport.

(Xinhua News Agency September 10, 2007)