Tennis: Federer eases to third straight US title

Roger Federer with the US Open trophy. Picture / Reuters

NEW YORK - Switzerland's Roger Federer captured his third consecutive US Open tennis title today by surviving some dicey moments before blowing past former champion Andy Roddick 6-2 4-6 7-5 6-1 and proving once again that he has no rival.

Playing in his record sixth straight grand slam final, Federer played below his best but still managed to beat the 2003 Open champion for the 11th time in 12 career meetings.

With the sets level at 1-1 and Roddick serving at 5-6, Federer broke the American to close out the third set amid a chorus of groans by the 24,000 spectators at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Federer began to smell blood early in the fourth set and broke Roddick in the second game to grab a 2-0 lead. The Australian Open and Wimbledon champion recovered his form, and his confidence, before breaking Roddick again for a 4-0 lead.

When he closed out the match on an overhead, the normally staid Federer collapsed in ecstasy and lay on the court on his back. He won eight of the last nine games to claim the title.

Despite playing his best only in stretches, Federer finished the two-hour, 27-minute match with 69 winners and only 19 unforced errors. The Swiss also out-aced the hard-serving Roddick 17-7.

Roddick had 33 winners and 23 unforced errors but was let down by his inconsistency at the net.

The victory was the ninth grand slam title for the 25-year-old Federer, who continues his march toward the record of 14 by American Pete Sampras.

"I am happy it all worked about because it was really difficult against Andy," said Federer, who becomes the first man to ever with three straight Wimbledon and US Open titles.

"I'm happy to see him back at the very, very top. It's always a great joy to play against him."

Federer asserted his dominance early, breaking Roddick in the second game of the match and racing to a 5-0 lead before many in the cavernous stadium had taken their seats.

Although Roddick broke to trim the lead to 5-2, Federer returned the favor in the next game to close out the opening set.

Federer played a loose game to open the second set and was broken at love. The world's top-ranked player, playing his fourth match in five days, lost some of the zip in his groundstrokes and Roddick made him pay.

Roddick's early break held up with some stellar serving and the 24-year-old American levelled the match by holding serve in the 10th game of the second set.

After dropping out of the top 10 following a loss to Briton Andy Murray in the third round at Wimbledon, Roddick hired five-times Open champion Jimmy Connors as his new coach and began to get his game in order.

The former world number one had a stellar summer and despite the loss will move up to number six in the rankings. He was the only non-European, man or woman, to reach a grand slam final in 2006.

- REUTERS