NEW YORK - Roger Federer is at his best against the best, when it counts the most, and he was nearly perfect against Lleyton Hewitt. Federer became the first man since 1988 to win three Grand Slam tournaments in a year, thoroughly outclassing Hewitt 6-0, 7-6 (3), 6-0 Sunday to add the U.S. Open title to those he took at the Australian Open and Wimbledon.<br>
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There hadn't been two shutout sets in the event's championship match since 1884.<br>
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And here's what was particularly remarkable: The top-ranked Federer's opponent was no pushover. Federer dominated every facet against pugnacious, backward-cap wearing, "Come on!"-yelling, fist-pumping Hewitt, a former No. 1 and a two-time major champion, including the 2001 U.S. Open.<br>
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Federer led the fourth-seeded Hewitt in winners (40-12), aces (11-1), and service breaks (7-1).<br>
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And now there are all sorts of other impressive numbers Federer can lay claim to:<br>
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- no one had won Wimbledon and the U.S. Open back-to-back since Pete Sampras in 1995;<br>
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- including Wimbledon in 2003, Federer is 4-0 in major finals, the first man in the Open era to start a career by winning his first four;<br>
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- he's won 11 straight tournament finals overall;<br>
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- he's won 17 straight matches against players ranked in the top 10.<br>
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There's more: No man had captured consecutive major titles since Agassi won the 1999 U.S. Open and 2000 Australian Open. The 18 Slams since then was the longest drought in the Open era.
