Agassi collects title and career milestone

Defending champion Andre Agassi tamed Switzerland's Roger Federer 6-3, 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 on Sunday to claim a record fifth Nasdaq-100 Open Masters title and reach another milestone in his remarkable career.

With Steffi Graf looking on from the stands Agassi needed two hours and 20 minutes under a sweltering south Florida sun to equal his wife's mark of five Miami Masters titles and collect his 700th career singles win.

The American, who will turn 32 next month, becomes just the ninth player to reach the plateau, joining some of the game's greats including Ivan Lendl, Boris Becker and Jimmy Connors, who tops the lists with 1,155.

"The way things are going I have a shot at passing her (Graf) because I know she's not gonna win another one," laughed Agassi, who has reached the Miami final seven times in 16 years. "I'm moving up in the household.

"I think there's a lot of reasons that I do well here.

"The hardcourts and it's windy out there, which is good for my game.

"It tends to be hot out there and I tend to work my opponent more than they work me so that gives me an advantage if we go toe-to-toe."

The win was worth $456,000 to Agassi but equally important it allowed him to cling to a top 10 spot in the world rankings.

NUMBER 10

After losing his opening match at Indian Wells two weeks ago, where he was also defending champion, Agassi had to retain his Miami crown to avoid being replaced at number 10 by Federer, whose path to his first career Masters final included a semifinal win over world number one Lleyton Hewitt.

"I got a little flat in the third set and if you fall off even a little bit against these guys it's tough," said Agassi, who collected his first title in 1990 as a brash, long haired 19-year-old. "Roger is very talented, every year these guys get tougher and tougher.

"It's pretty clear he has a great game and he's still learning how to play. I think he's only going to get better. I definitely see him as a threat to become one of the best."

In a typically sublime performance, Agassi patiently waited for his opportunities and then imposed himself on the 20-year-old Swiss.

Federer, 17-4 against American opponents, reached the final having played the entire tournament without dropping a set or even losing his serve but was broken three-times in the opener by a relentless Agassi.

The second set produced just one break that again went to Agassi at 4-2 when Federer's mishit return sailed long.

But just when the American seemed to have stamped his authority on the match, Federer fought back to claim a break at 3-1 in the third.

SWEPT ASIDE

The set was the first Federer had taken from Agassi in three meetings having been swept aside in their two previous clashes, including the fourth round of the U.S. Open.

By the time the young Swiss broke early in the fourth to go up 2-1 it was clear to most of the sell-out crowd that Agassi had to win the match rather than have Federer give it to him.

But the ageless American was up to the challenge, breaking back at 4-4 and two games later to close out the match, raising his hands into the air in triumph as Federer's forehand return crashed into the net.

"I'm disappointed I didn't make the top 10 this week because I had a chance but I feel I had progress in my game again," said Federer, who heralded his arrival on the tennis scene at last year's Wimbledon when he snapped Pete Sampras's 31 match winning streak. "This week has been great tennis."

Agassi arrived for the post-match news conference still icing the wrist injury that forced him to miss much of the early part of the season, including the Australian Open.

But he pronounced himself fit and hungry for the start of the European clay court season.

"There's no question about it I'm hungry," said Agassi. "I needed to do well here to give myself this platform.

"I'll use it for motivation and confidence.

"Clay courters who grow up on that surface want to establish themselves on clay, then they want to start showing they can win on other surfaces.

"For me I need to establish my game out here on the hardcourt then go into the clay working hard and willing to pay the price.

"I certainly feel ready for that."