SHANGHAI, China -- Novak Djokovic's victory celebration turned out to be more dangerous than his opponent.

Jubilant after overwhelming Russia's Nikolay Davydenko 6-1, 7-5 in the Masters Cup final Sunday, Djokovic tossed just about everything in reach -- two rackets, wristbands and his sweat-soaked shirt -- into the cheering crowd at Qi Zhong stadium.

By anyone's standards, Novak Djokovic had a terrific 2008 season. Among his four victories: the Australian Open and his first Masters Cup title. Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

Then he headed to the players box, where his coach, family and a former Miss Universe were standing and cheering. A joyous group hug ensued, and they all bounced up and down together, reveling in the Serb's first title in six months.

But when Djokovic walked away, he realized he had cut his left hand somewhere in the joyous melee. It wouldn't have been good form to drip blood on his new trophy, so he had to ask the trainer to apply a bandage before the awards ceremony.

"You don't feel the pain in the moments of happiness," he said.

The victory provided Djokovic with perfect bookends to his year. He won the Australian Open in January for his first Grand Slam.

And that cut? Not serious, and he has plenty of time to heal before starting 2009 -- and to think about how close he is to breaking the stranglehold that Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer have had on the top two spots in the rankings since mid-2005.

"Certainly I believe that I have the quality to reach the top spot in the upcoming year or next couple of years, [maybe] 10 years," Djokovic said. "That is my lifetime goal that I've been always trying to achieve. But I have learned a lesson. If I pay too much attention to rankings, it doesn't go the right way."

Federer, who says it doesn't sound right to hear himself introduced as No. 2 in the world after spending a record 237 consecutive weeks at the top, is intent on taking the No. 1 spot back from Nadal.

He better watch his back.

Djokovic's victory -- his first since the Rome Masters in May -- pulled him within 10 points of Federer's total of 5,205, and the Swiss star's aching back, which caused him to pull out during the Paris Masters two weeks ago and tightened up on him here, is worrisome.