Proud ...

[Rafa shakes the hand of every ATP member and accepts his Runners Up Plate]

"Well ... ooff ... hello ... thank you. Well hello everybody. First thing I want to say congratulate super player like Novak, well done, you are an unbelievable player and I wish you the best of luck for the final of Davis Cup. You deserve it.

Second thing, jus'cansay thank you very much to all the people who is supporting me day by day for the last ... hmmm ... for the last 27 years. Without them, for sure it's impossible to have the chance to enjoy having days like today playing in this fantastic-a stadium and in front of probably one of the best crowds of the world and of the best atmospheres here in London. Many thanks.

[massive applause]

Jus'cansay thank you very much to all the tournament organisation and all who makes it possible this great event, one of the best we have on tour. For the director of the tournament, Andre, thank you very much for everything, and-a you have been, you are doing a great job with all the family, you make us feel like home so many thanks for everything.

[applause]

All the sponsors without them its impossible to have an event like this, so all the companies who are sponsoring our sport, thank you very much to have the confidence in the tennis.

And for the last thing. I've been no doubt the most emotional season of my career.  After a tough injury like I had last year, I couldn't be here playing in one of the best tournaments like is the World Tour Finals .... I miss it a lot. For all this, one of the best seasons of my career to play the last match of the season in this stadium is just a fantastic end for me, and if I didn't have the chance to win today is because I play against a player who played much better than me today. So just many thanks all the crowd for [massive, massive applause] ... for all the crowd, for all the support not only today but around the week, and all the crowd that supported me more than ever during the whole season around the world.  Thank you very much and see you next year. Thank you."

Rafa's speech last night.  Pure class ... as he is always is.  I could burst into tears.

I was pretty calm after the match last night and remained so today.  I think that must be because sometimes you have no choice but to accept that there are occasions when Djokovic is going to play better and be the better player on the day.  And last night was one of them.  I'm sad for Rafa because I would like him to be able to add that title to his repertoire.  In the grand scheme of things, it's not going to make him better or greater, or influence his standing in the game, but it would just be ... nice.

I felt that Rafa looked like a bag of nerves when he came out on court, and his start showed that.  There was the odd flash of brilliance, he had a couple of unlucky breaks, but it was not to be his night and his play wasn't of a level that was good enough, and although it sticks in my craw to say it ... Djokovic deserved it. At least Rafa didn't lose by playing his best tennis, but I think he will have been a tad disappointed with his performance yesterday. However, I've transcribed his speech because we have to remember his journey of 2013.  It started in a tiny tournament in Chile ... and ended with him being in the final of the World Tour Finals in London, entering the court as the World No. 1 and the Year End Champion.

So it's now over for another season.  I'm exhausted, and my skin is still the palour of green after being on our annual Rafarollercoaster ride.  I can't pretend that I enjoy every moment of it, and in spite of this being an amazing season for Rafa, it still feels like every tournament was tense, difficult, and full of drama and worry. What's it like to be a fan, eh?  Especially one of Rafa's.

I'll probably do my end of School Year Report in a couple of days, and that will probably be it from me for 2013.  Rafa isn't the only one that needs a break from it all.

He didn't get to bite the trophy this time, but WTF ... he had a bloody good go.

Thank you Rafa, for being you.  For loving a sport so much and your will to win that you push yourself to recover, to always try your best.  You are never afraid to adapt, to change, to try new things, to do what is in your ability to be a champion and then still even challenge your own best to become better.  You are an inspiration to a generation, you are an icon of your sport and tennis is very, very lucky to have you. Congratulations on all you have achieved both personally and professionally in 2013.  No-one deserves it more.  VAMOS!!!