Federer Feeds Hewitt Two Bagels in US Open Final

Posted on September 13, 2004

If there was any doubt to the ability of Roger Federer to apply his trade in New York City, it was squelched Sunday afternoon. Federer imposed his considerable will on former champ and former No. 1 Lleyton Hewitt in the US Open final, destroying the Aussie 6-0, 7-6(3), 6-0 for an astounding ninth title of 2004.

The numbers put up by the Swiss are mind-boggling: first No. 1 seed since Pete Sampras in 1996 to win the US Open; has already clinched the year-end No. 1 ranking with three months yet to play; first player since Mats Wilander in 1988 to win three of the four slams in one calendar year; 24 of 25 sets won in slam final-four matches; first player to win his first four slam finals; 17 wins in a row over Top 10 players; first US Open champ to win two 6-0 sets in the final; first man to win Wimbledon and the US Open back-to-back since Sampras in 1995; first man to win consecutive slam titles since Andre Agassi won the 1999 US Open and 2000 Australian Open; and winning in his last 11 tournament finals.

Is there a universe-level tennis tour Federer could graduate to, one where he could represent the Earth?

After match point Federer fell to the court, did a half-roll in ecstasy covering his eyes with his hands, and was congratulated by Hewitt who crossed the net to embrace.

"To me, even in my wildest dreams, I never would have thought I could win the US Open," Federer said. "I couldn't have hoped for more, really."

Hewitt made few unforced errors through the first bagel set but still came up empty. The Aussie forced a tiebreak in the second but the Swiss was too good on the critical points, pulling the trigger for winners at will.

"When he's playing like he did, especially in the first set there today," Hewitt said. "There's very little you can do out there."

Entering the final, the numbers were on Federer's mind.

"Actually, honestly, going into this final," Federer said, "I had kind of a strange feeling. Because of all the talk -- nobody has ever won four in a row, the first (four) grand slams. So I started wondering. Now that I did it, it's great."

It was the first time Federer had surpassed the fourth round at the Open.

"It's still tough to believe, because I think once I settle down, have some time off, at the end of the year especially, I'll be looking back, thinking, 'How in the world did I do all this?'," Federer said. "I hope I can keep it up as long as I can. Once I get sick and tired of everything, you never know when that day will come. Obviously, I'm enjoying my life. Traveling the world, being No. 1 in the world in tennis is not too bad."

Standing between Federer and the greatest-ever title (besides 10 more slam titles)? Next up: a win at the French Open.