Sept. 11 (Bloomberg) -- Roger Federer defeated Andre Agassi in four sets to win his second straight U.S. Open, ending the 35-year-old American's effort to become the oldest champion of the tennis tournament in his lifetime.

The top-ranked Federer, a 24-year-old Swiss, improved his record in Grand Slam championship matches to 6-0, winning 6-3, 2-6, 7-6 (7-1), 6-1 before a crowd cheering every point for Agassi at the National Tennis Center in New York.

Agassi saved two match points in the sixth game of the fourth set before hitting Federer's final serve long, sending Federer bouncing up and down in celebration. The Swiss champion won 29 of his last 32 service points.

``He's the best I've ever played against,'' Agassi, one of five men to win all four Grand Slams singles titles, said of Federer at a news conference. ``Everything you try to do, he has an answer for. He plays the game in a very special way.''

Federer wins $1.1 million, while Agassi gets $550,000 plus 50 percent more for his second-place finish in the U.S. Open series that led up to the tournament.

``For me this is the most special Grand Slam final in my career, to play against Andre in New York,'' Federer said in an interview on CBS television.

Federer's sixth Grand Slam title ties him with Boris Becker, Don Budge, Jack Crawford, Stefan Edberg and Tony Wilding, all members of the Tennis Hall of Fame. Pete Sampras won a record 14.

Repeat

Federer also becomes the first player to repeat as U.S. Open champion since Patrick Rafter in 1998. Federer has won 23 straight finals and today took his record 35th consecutive hard- court match to pass Sampras.

``I seem to save my best tennis for the finals,'' Federer said. ``I'm not sure how I do it.''

Federer also won both Wimbledon and the U.S. Open for the second straight year, something no player has achieved since professionals were admitted to the four Grand Slam tournaments in 1968, the beginning of tennis's Open era. The French and Australian Opens complete the series of tennis majors.

Jimmy Connors, John McEnroe and Sampras twice won both tournaments in the same year but not in consecutive years.

Federer's last loss on hard courts was in the semifinals of the Australian Open in January against Marat Safin, and his last loss in a final was to Jiri Novak in Gstaad, Switzerland, in July 2003.

Last year Federer also became the first player since Mats Wilander in 1988 to win three of the four Grand Slams.

Oldest Champion

Agassi failed to add a ninth Grand Slam title to his resume. He was the oldest U.S. Open finalist since 39-year-old Ken Rosewall in 1974, and was trying to become the second-oldest champion of the Open era of professionals. Rosewall was 190 days older when he won in 1970.

After losing in the first round of the French Open in May, Agassi missed two months, including Wimbledon, with a sciatic nerve injury. He received four cortisone shots this year, most recently after reaching a final last month in Montreal. Agassi said his back has not caused any problems at the U.S. Open.

He won three straight five-set matches for the first time in his career to reach the finals for the seventh time in his 20th U.S. Open.

``Thank you, New York, for the last 20 years, it's been a great ride,'' Agassi said on CBS. ``It's been a tough road, but a great road. Roger was too good today.''

To contact the reporter on this story: Allan Kreda at the U.S. Open at akreda@bloomberg.net

Last Updated: September 11, 2005 20:09 EDT