2B - The Michigan Daily - SportsMonday - September 12, 2005 Federer holds off surprise Agassi MoeIrtjc]4 uB au Athlete of the Week me: Lyndsay Miller Team: Women's volleyball metown: Ida, Mich. Class: Sophomore " NEW YORK (AP) - Roger Federer, a man of panache and unparalleled perfection in finals, with- stood Andre Agassi's spirited upset bid to capture a second straight U.S. Open and sixth Grand Slam "title. Federer responded to his few moments of pressure by reeling off seven straight points in the tiebreak that turned the match around, then blew Agassi away in the fourth set to win 6-3, 2-6, 7-6 (1), 6-1 yesterday and run his stunning record in finals to 23-0. Federer moved into a tie with Stefan Edberg and :Boris Becker for Grand Slam titles among Open era players, and one behind John McEnroe and Mats Wilander. Pete Sampras holds the record with 14 .Grand Slam titles, but at 24 years old, Federer could well have a shot at that., Federer shrieked and leapt in the air when Agassi's backhand return looped long on the championship point. The two men, who have the highest of respect for each other, shook hands warmly at the net. Though the 35-year-old Agassi was the oldest U.S. -Open men's finalist in 31 years, age had less to do with the difference in this match than Federer's sheer ,strength, variety of serves and superior balance of -attacks from the baseline and the net that wore down Agassi. The Swiss forced the action, going for winners more aggressively and dancing around the court with poise, unrattled even when Agassi had him down a break at 4-2 in the third set. For a while there, Agassi --seemed to be on the verge of pulling one of the great upsets in sports history - on the order of Muham- mad Ali's shockers over Sonny Liston and George -Foreman. An 8-1 underdog, Agassi was just a few months doesn't lose in finals, is at the peak of his game and health, and is coming off his third straight Wimble- don championship; If this was Agassi's last U.S. Open after 20 straight - he won't decide until the end of the year whether to retire - it was remarkable even in defeat. "It's been a tough road, but it's been a great road," Agassi told the cheering crowd. "Roger played way too good today. Congratulations Roger, well done. "This certainly isn't easy to do at any age, espe- cially 35. It's been a privilege to compete against so many great champions over the last couple of decades or so. Without exception, Roger has been one of most enjoyable to compete against. Thank you New York for the last 20 years. It's been a great ride." Federer became the first man in the Open era, which started in 1968, to win Wimbledon and the U.S. Open back-to-back for the second consecutive year. Three players have done it twice, though not in consecutive years: Jimmy Connors, McEnroe and Sampras. The last player to accomplish the feat was Don Budge in 1937-38. Federer beat Agassi for the eighth straight time over the past two years after losing their first three meetings. Three of Federer's victories in that streak have come at Grand Slam events, including the quar- terfinals of the U.S. Open last year and the Australian Open this year. "This is probably the most special Grand Slam final in my career," Federer said. "To play against Andre in New York, it's a dream. "I had to play my best match of the tournament. It happened I played my best in the finals, as usual. I don't know how I do it, but it definitely feels great every single time." Na Ho Why: Miller led Michigan to a win in the Pepsi/Nike Invitation- al on Saturday Sept. 10. In the final game, a victory over Illinois State, she tied a career-high with 16 kills and set a new personal best with 11 blocks for her first career double-double. She was also named to the all-tournament team. 'M' SCHEDULE Date Event Location. 9/13 Field Hockey at Central Michigan 9/13 Volleyball vs. Eastern Michigan 9/16 M Cross Country Spartan Invitational 9/16 W Cross Country Michigan State Invitational 9/16 M Soccer at Oakland 9/16 W Soccer vs. Western Michigan 9/16 Volleyball vs. Georgia Tech Georgia Invitational 9/17 Football vs. Eastern Michigan 9/17 Volleyball at Georgia Georgia Invitational 9/17 W Golf Mary Fossum Invitational 9/18 W Rowing vs. Eastern Michgian, Michigan State 9/18 W Soccer at Notre Dame 9/18 Field Hockey vs. Vermont 9/18 M Soccer vs. Kentucky 9/18 W Golf Mary Fossum Invitational Mount Pleasant Ann Arbor East Lansing East Lansing Rochester Ann Arbor Athens, Ga. Ann Arbor Athens, Ga. East Lansing Belleville South Bend Ann Arbor Ann Arbor East Lansing Time 4 p.m. 7 p.m. 2 p.m. 4 p.m. 5 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 12 p.m. 7 p.m. TBA TBA 1 p.m. 1 p.m. 2 p.m. TBA Roger Federer moved his finals record to 23-0 with his victory over Andre Agassi in yesterday's U.S. Open. removed from a career-threatening back injury that shot crippling pain down his right leg, led to his loss in the first round of the French Open and caused him to skip Wimbledon. He was playing a man who 0 I f Oniy $2 each joV iJ ! DOWNLOAD 'EM NOW AS EASY AS A TEXT MESSAGE TEXT MICH5 TO 64000a TEXT MICH8"6 TO 64000e a TEXT MICHJ TO 64000 .m , "'~' THE VICTORS" .~:'* . TEXT MICH8O 5° S+TO 64000ta pG .I is 11 SUMMUs0 Visit www.fighttones.com for more $2 for each download; charged to your monthly phone bill. Standard text messaging rates apply. Available to customers of Sprint, Cingular,and TMobile USA. See flghttonesUcom for full terma & conditions, Content licensed by permission to 2ThumbZ Entertainment. 02005 Summus, Inc. All rights reserved. Logos 0 University of Michigan. Kim Clijsters took the U.S. Open easily, beating Mary Pierce in two sets, 6-3, 6-1. Fifth time isth charm for Clijsters NEW YORK (AP) - Winning a Grand Slam title wasn't so hard for Kim Clijsters, after all. Clijsters, who came up short her first four tries, finally won her first major title Saturday night, cruis- ing to a 6-3, 6-1 victory over Mary Pierce at the U.S. Open. When she hit a service winner on the sec- ond championship point, Clijsters dropped her racket and put her hands to her face. She hugged Pierce at the net and then rushed to the side of the court, climbing over a photographer's pit and through the stands at Arthur Ashe Stadium to reach her family. She scaled a wall and inched along a rail as if it was a tightrope - maybe the toughest thing she did all night - before she reached her family. Sobbing, she hugged her mom and sister while Pierce watched, discon- * solate; from the sidelines. Clijsters won $2.2 million, double the top prize, because she won. the U.S. Open Series. "It's still very hard to believe," Clijsters said at the podium after receiving the winner's check. "It's an amazing feeling to have, espe- cially after being out for so long last year. It-means so much more." There's never been a doubt about Clijsters' talent. She's a former No. 1 who arrived at the Open with 27 titles - six this year alone. But she'd never won the Big One - any of the four majors. She reached the finals at the French and U.S. opens in 2003, as well as the Australian in 2004. Each time, she fell short against Belgian Justine Henin-Hardenne. She also lost to Jennifer Capriati in the 2001 French Open. But that was before the career- threatening wrist injury. She had surgery last June to remove a cyst on her left wrist and missed the French Open, Wimbledon and the U.S. Open. She also missed this year's Australian Open. When she returned to the tour, she had a different, more determined attitude. It, showed against Pierce, who is enjoying a career resurgence at 30. Pierce took a controversial 12-min- ute timeout during her semifinal match, and she had her right thigh tightly wrapped Saturday night. But no amount of tape could have helped her against Clijsters. The Belgian was too strong, too crisp, too fleet against Pierce. She served notice from tl start she was there to play, break- ing Pierce in the first game of the match. She used her superior athletic ability to chase down ball after ball, and made Pierce work for every point she got. Pierce seemed com- pletely befuddled. After she hit a x C,-oncer t I Band-O-Rama Saturday, October 22"d,2005 Hill Auditorium 7:30 PM For tickets call (734) 764-2538 Crisler Concert Sunday, December 4th, 2005 Crisler Arena 12:30 PM For tickets call (734) 764-0582 College is about 3 things: Good food, Cheap food, & Good, Cheap food