Clijsters Wins First Slam Title, Federer-Agassi Blockbuster Sunday

Ginepri, the lowest-ranked US Open semifinalist in over 10 years, said his two-week effort was a confidence boost that will make him a factor in the future.

"I can hang with any player," Ginepri said. "I shouldn't be intimidated or afraid to walk on the court with anybody. It definitely enlightens the future for me."

Roger Federer advanced to the final with a 6-3, 7-6(0), 4-6, 6-3 win in three hours in a repeat of last year's final over Lleyton Hewitt.

Serving at 4-5 Federer fought off two game points, then again at 5-6 before drilling the Aussie 7-0 in the tiebreak. But after losing 17 sets in a row, Hewitt finally broke through to take the third set before it was business as usual in the fourth.

"He's a hell of a shot-maker, the best shot-maker I've ever seen," Hewitt said. "He can pull the trigger anywhere on the court. No one's really been able to put him under pressure for the last couple of years."

Federer has now won 34 in a row on hardcourts, an Open Era record, and puts his 22 straight wins (also a record) in finals on the line against Agassi.

"I expect a tough match," Federer said of playing Agassi. "He always makes the opponent run. I'm ready to run, defend myself and play aggressive when I have the chance."

Federer has won his last seven meetings with Agassi, but barely survived a five-setter last year with the former No. 1 in the US Open quarterfinals.

"Most people have weaknesses," Agassi said. "Federer doesn't have weaknesses. So that equates to a problem. I mean, I could lie, I could say something else, but he's earned that respect."

Clijsters Breaks Slam Jinx With US Open Title

With an 0-4 record in slam finals and a career-threatening wrist injury, reaching the No. 1 ranking was little consolation to Kim Clijsters, who feared her career could be over as she sat on the sidelines last year.

Clijsters returned to the tour in February of this year with a rehabilitated wrist, and Saturday at the US Open was the fruition of her comeback with a 6-3, 6-1 clubbing of an injury-hobbled Mary Pierce to break the slam duck.

After match point Clijsters made a perilous climb into the stands, walking on a rail and helped by fans, embracing her mother, sister and supporters in her player's box.

"It's very hard to believe and an amazing feeling to have," Clijsters said. "After being out for so much of last year it's a little bit more special."

For Pierce it was the thrill of a run to the US Open final, and the heartbreak of going 0-2 in slam finals in 2005 after also getting run over by Justine Henin-Hardenne in the French Open final.

"Kim, congratulations," Pierce said on-court after the final. "I'm so happy for you -- you're such a sweet girl, and you're a fantastic player. You were really too good today and you deserved to win. Congratulations."

Sunday at the US Open will feature the women's doubles final in the American/Aussie pairing of (6) Raymond/Stosur vs. the Russian/Italian tandem of (14) Dementieva/Pennetta.

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TENNIS-X NEWS, NOTES, QUOTES AND BARBS
How good was Kim Clijsters, taking the mike to praise Mary Pierce and then her support team? That needs to happen more often, give the players the mike. And how good was the CBS send-off collage of players Saturday night? Nice stuff...Justine Henin-Hardenne pulled from the WTA Luxembourg event, and says it is doubtful with her hamstring injury if she will play during the remainder of 2005...How creepy was CBS's Dick Enberg to Kim Clijsters with that 'hi-larious' "Can I hold you?" comment? Ewww...No man has ever won four consecutive five-set matches at a Grand Slam tournament, though Goran Ivanisevic won four in a row at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics en route to the semifinals...Lleyton Hewitt has not entered any of the remaining tournaments of 2005 with the impending birth of his child, but could compete in a few tournaments before the year-ending Masters Cup...Andre Agassi in his post-match conference on the cortisone injections for his back: "The doctor is comfortable with four injections a year. Because we're not injecting tendon or joints, you know, this is a nerve that's through bone so there's not a lot of deterioration or downside that happens as a result of it. It's not a way to live as a way of life, but if I didn't thrash myself around on the tennis court with 22-year-olds...(laughter)...I wouldn't need it, period. I mean, I would be fine. I'm not sort of disabled in my everyday life, but it's when I demand what I demand out of my body that I fall shy of the standard that's needed to be at your best. So I can do about four a year, but not as a way of life, for a few years."