"He's getting better - you know, it's frustrating … " Novak Djokovic speaking of Rafael Nadal at his post-match press conference.

"When I have high intensity all the time … I think he can be more tired than me." Nadal speaking of Djokovic at his post-match press conference.

They say that when Mariano Rivera enters a game you can turn the lights out. But move over Mariano, there's another closer in New York.

In a scintillating match, showcasing his entire arsenal of weapons, Rafael Nadal won his first U.S. Open title over a worthy and game Novak Djokovic, 6-4, 5-7, 6-4, 6-2 in a rain-delayed encounter that lasted more than three and a half hours. The Mallorcan now has nine major titles and has completed the much talked about "career Grand Slam" at the tender age of 24. And with his victory on a cool early fall evening, Nadal is now a staggering, jaw-dropping, superlative-defying 107-1 when winning the first set at a Slam. Lights out indeed.

Afterwards Nadal said it was the "very best match" he's ever played at the Open. And I doubt anyone in attendance on this night would disagree. Never before has he looked so comfortable and effortless on the hard courts.

An enthusiastic, boisterous and patient crowd were in awe of the shot-making display put on by the two. There were numerous extended rallies that concluded with twisting groundstrokes, deft drop shots and powerful volleys. It was all-court tennis at its finest.

The match started off auspiciously for Nadal, with a break of Djokovic's serve in the first game; and after fighting off break points during a 12-minute game at two games apiece, Nadal coasted through the first set. The rains came at 4-4, 30-30 in the second and at that moment one got the feeling that Nadal would get some keen advice from his uncle Toni and emerge from the delay and claim the set.

But that didn't occur and all credit to Djokovic, who fought off a flurry of break points - Nadal only converted six of 26 break chances, an unusually low percentage for him - and started to play aggressively to put some pressure on Nadal. This strategy worked as Djokovic took advantage of his few opportunities - he only managed four break points the whole match, but won three - and closed out the second set. It was reminiscent of his second set against Roger Federer on Saturday when he combined acrobatic defense with bold and confident groundstrokes.

Yet if Djokovic felt any momentum at this point it was short lived. Nadal broke him in the third game of the set and never looked back. By the fourth set, Djokovic looked exhausted, a not uncommon sight with Nadal as the foe.

To cash in that rare exacta ticket by beating Federer and Nadal in a Slam is just too much too ask - though Juan Martin Del Potro did accomplish that feat last year when he demolished a less-than-100 percent Nadal and then Federer to claim the title.

If there was one aspect of Nadal's game that stood out over this fortnight it was undoubtedly his serve. Having made adjustments to his grip just weeks before coming to New York, Nadal's serve is now not only effective, it is a downright force. Routinely hitting serves near or above 130 mph, Nadal also punctuated the high-speed deliveries with soft, spinning and angled serves that kept Djokovic, arguably the finest returner in the game, guessing. And when Nadal is getting 67 percent of his first serves into play, combined with this additional power, it's a daunting proposition to be up against.

Just a year after many thought his career was in jeopardy because of nagging knee injuries, the swashbuckling sultan of spin stands far and above his foes. And with three major titles in 2010, Nadal is in elite company. Only Rod Laver (1969 when he won the calendar year Grand Slam), Jimmy Connors (1974), Mats Wilander (1988) and Roger Federer (2004, 2006, 2007) have been able to win three Slams in the same season during the Open Era. But even more impressive is the fact that Nadal won his on three different surfaces - something no other male player has ever accomplished in a single year.

And consider how the year started for Nadal. He had to retire from his semifinal match against Andy Murray at the Australian Open. Federer then beat Murray to claim his 16th Slam and many assumed that Nadal would never be in peak form again - if he'd play at all - and Federer was on his way to 20 majors.

But now Federer is ranked third - sounds weird doesn't it? - and Nadal appears unstoppable. In a sense this U.S. Open victory is perhaps the most intimidating feat for his rivals to ponder. Sure, everyone knows Nadal can't be beaten on clay and has turned into a superlative grass court practitioner. But the U.S. Open was supposed to be his Bjorn Borg-like kryptonite, like the French Open was for Federer until last year.  Nadal was never supposed to do well on the Open's lightning quick hard courts where his topspin is muted and his sliding nullified. And yet he not only won, he dominated, with the loss of only one set and didn't have his serve broken until the semifinals.

Simply, it's difficult to find a parallel with another player who had such an extraordinary learning curve and was able to adapt their games to all surfaces with significant alterations to their playing styles. It's a testament to the unique coaching relationship that Nadal has with his uncle Toni.

Afterwards Nadal was peppered with questions regarding his rivalry with Federer and if he's going to catch him in the number of titles. Nadal struck his usual sober and respectful tone by saying that 16 (Federer's Slam titles) was too far ahead to think about. But for the first time I sensed in his expression and words that maybe he is starting to believe that he's at least capable of racking upward of 15 or 16 Slams. What's so likeable about the guy is that even he seems amazed at how far he's come.

So is the two-headed monster no more? Will Federer continue to be part of the equation with Nadal? Well, considering the two have joined forces to claim 21 of the last 23 Slams it would seem ridiculous to exclude Federer from a list of favorites at any event. But with Djokovic now having far greater confidence after having just beaten Federer, combined with the fact that Nadal hasn't lost to Federer in a Slam since the 2007 Wimbledon, it's going to be a mighty difficult task for Roger to add to his singular and historic resume.

And remember, if Nadal wasn't injured in 2009 we'd likely be in year three of Nadal being the No. 1 player in the world.

But I wouldn't count out one more epic between these two greatest of rivals … the only problem is, if the rankings stay the same, it may well be in the semifinals.