Melbourne  - Even if he never wins another Grand Slam, Rafael Nadal will still be counting the blessings of a world-beating career.

"I have six right now, and I'm happy with my six," the Spanish superman said after his five-set triumph over Roger Federer, which lasted into early Monday morning. "I'm going to continue trying my best and improving my tennis."

That cannot be welcome news for Federer, whose emotions overcame him on the trophy stand after losing for the 13th time in 19 matches against Nadal.

While Nadal is not planning on slowing a blistering victory pace - his four-title run at Roland Garroes will be his next major objective - the number-one player knows that to keep ahead of the Swiss Federer and other pursuers he will need to keep working.

"I know it is very difficult, every title. ... I don't know if I'm gonna win more," Nadal said, "but for sure I'm gonna keep trying."

But after watching the Federer dynasty drop a level, Nadal knows that he cannot remain a fearsome winning machine forever.

"When I won my first one (in 2005 in Paris), I didn't know if I was gonna win more. You never know when it stops," Nadal said.

"You always have to be cautious, and you have to be humble."

As always, he insists more success will not change him.

"I'm no better now than I was five hours ago," he said at well past midnight on Monday morning after the late-night thriller in front of 15,000 spectators.

"When you win an important match, but you have to know before the match who you are, and after the match you have to know who you are. You are the same."

Nadal, who said that he felt the pain in his legs from a five- hour, 14-minute semi-final win over Fernando Verdasco, will take a well-deserved rest and is schedule to play in a fortnight indoors as top seed at Rotterdam. (dpa)