Federer wins 12th Slam title

TENNIS: Roger Federer captured his 12th Grand Slam crown Sunday by winning his fourth US Open in a row, moving three major titles shy of surpassing the all-time record of 14 Slam wins set by Pete Sampras.

The Swiss world number one defeated Serbian Novak Djokovic 7-6 (7/4), 7-6 (7/2), 6-4 after denying the Slam final debutante on five set-point chances in the first set and two more in the second, having been a break down in each set.

"I played well when I had too," Federer said. "I've played better matches no doubt. A big moment. A lot of pressure for both of us. He made it hard for me in the beginning. All in all, I'm happy with my performance."

Federer, 26, matched Roy Emerson for second on the career Slam title list behind Sampras, surpassing 11-time Slam winners Bjorn Borg and Rod Laver and moving closer to beating Sampras - a goal that more and more occupies his mind.

"I think about it a lot now," Federer said. "To come so close already at my age is so fantastic and I really hope to break it. Don't know (how many). I hope more than Pete."

Shaking off a case of nerves, Federer took advantage of his record 10th Slam final in a row to improve to 12-2 in Slam finals, winning three Slams in a year for the third time in four years, losing only the 2006 and 2007 French Opens.

"It's just hard. It really works you," Federer said of the pressure of a Slam final. "You're like. 'I hope I didn't come all this way to lose.' In the end to win is happiness, relief, all together, it's the best feeling."

Third seed Djokovic netted a backhand volley to surrender the only break of the last set on Federer's second match point, ending the fight after two hours 26 minutes, his last of 40 unforced errors handing Federer a 51st career title.

"Straight sets is a bit brutal for Novak to be honest. He deserved better than that," Federer said. "I told him at the net, 'Keep it up.' He's going to have many more battles like that."

Federer won his fifth Wimbledon in a row in July, six months after taking his third Australian Open in four years, and stretched his US Open title streak to the longest since Bill Tilden won six in a row from 1920 to 1925.

Together with Justine Henin's victory in Saturday's women's final, it marked the first time since 1996 that both US Open singles titles went to top seeds.

The last time Federer lost a US Open match was a fourth-round defeat in the 2003 US Open at the hands of Argentina's David Nalbandian - a run that eclipses the old 27-match US Open Open-era record run of Ivan Lendl from 1985 to 1988.

Federer, in his record 188th week in a row atop the rankings, won a record 2.4 million dollars for the triumph thanks to a one million-dollar bonus from his results in US Open tuneup events.

NEW YORK, Monday, AFP