Federer wins third straight U.S. Open title, routs Roddick

NEW YORK -- There might be one athlete in the world who knows exactly how Roger Federer feels as he dominates his peers and gobbles up Grand Slams, so it was fitting that Tiger Woods was sitting in his guest box Sunday for the U.S. Open final.

Federer met Woods for the first time beforehand, then apparently set out to impress the golfer, controlling every facet of play in a 6-2, 4-6, 7-5, 6-1 victory over Andy Roddick for a third major championship this year and ninth of his career.

"We've been trying to meet on several occasions. He promised me to come if I was in the finals," Federer said. "I'm happy he came. Thanks, Tiger."

The Swiss superstar is the first man since Ivan Lendl in 1985-87 to win three consecutive U.S. Open titles -- and the only man in tennis history to win Wimbledon and the U.S. Open back-to-back three years in a row.

And he did it in such impressive fashion, out-acing the big-serving Roddick 17-7, compiling a 69-33 edge in winners, and making only 19 unforced errors. Federer claimed eight of the last nine games against Roddick, who won the 2003 U.S. Open but now is 1-11 against the man he once was supposed to rival for supremacy in this sport.

"Roger is at the top, and he's the only person at the top, regardless of how much people want to make rivalry comparisons and this, that and the other," Roddick said.

The No. 1-ranked Federer went 27-1 at this year's Grand Slam tournaments, the only setback coming against Rafael Nadal in the French Open final.