Agassi outguns Clement for seventh Grand Slam title

By Nirmal Shekar

MELBOURNE, JAN. 28. The Aussies call this the Big Day Out, the Australia Day weekend Sunday.

At the Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne Park, it was indeed a big day out for Arnaud Clement of France - that is, until the moment he stepped on court with Andre Agassi.

For, it wasn't long before the defending champion made his lethal intentions clear, showing no clemency to the French `floater' and turning this into a Bad Day Out for his opponent.

Agassi, to whom this was a routine day out, sliced up Clement 6- 4, 6-2, 6-2 in an hour and 46 minutes in the men's singles final to win his third Australian Open and his seventh Grand Slam title.

The former World champion, seeded six in this championship, has made it a habit of turning his country's most famous sporting Sunday - the Superbowl Sunday - into his own little party oceans apart.

It was still Saturday night in Tampa, Florida, where the New York Giants would take on the Baltimore Ravens in the 35th Superbowl but Agassi, one of the true giants of American tennis starring in his own little super-show, showed such a ravenous appetite for yet another Grand Slam title, three months short of his 31st birthday, that the over-matched Frenchman playing in his first - and possibly last - Grand Slam final was never in with a chance.

Indeed, Agassi and Capriati have produced their own Super Weekend for the United States here.

In a sport where over-30 is generally considered over- the-hill, Agassi has been a magnificent exception. Pat Rafter is talking about retirement at age 28. The great Bjorn Borg was finished at 25. John McEnroe won the last of his seven Grand Slam titles at age 25. But Agassi has won four of his seven Grand Slam titles past age 29.

Believe it or not, this a such a phenomenal endurance record at the majors that it betters even Jimmy Connors' achievement. For Connors won only three Grand Slam titles past the age of 29.

With today's victory, Agassi, one of only five players in history to have won all four majors - Roy Emerson, Rod Laver, Fred Perry and Don Budge are the other four- galloped past champions such as Boris Becker and Stefan Edberg, who won six Grand Slam titles, to join John McEnroe, Mats Wilander and John Newcombe, all winners of seven titles.

``It never ceases to be overwhelming,'' said Agassi, after receiving the trophy. ``You never know when it is the last time and when you stand here, all the training, all the hard work you do to put yourself in position seems worth it.''

After all the excitement and thrills of the two five- set semifinals, and the stunning upset of Saturday when Capriati won her maiden Slam, this final was a huge disappointment and an anti-climax.

To be sure, Clement, 23, was fighting formidable odds as an outsider against a marquee name and an acknowledged big league player. But the Frenchman, who fought so well against his friend Sebastien Grosjean from a hopeless position on Friday, failed to rise to the occasion.

It was obvious that Clement lacked experience on the big stage. While he did play some amazing winners - the inside out forehand was a delight to watch and so was the backhand down the line - he did so on points that had no influence on the outcome of games. How many times today did we see Agassi, who, strangely enough had less number of winners compared to Clement (24-34) pull out the big shot at 30-30 or when breakpoint down.

On the other hand, the Frenchman played very few memorable shots when it really mattered. That, in the end, was the huge difference.

``You not only have to be good, you have to be lucky too, to win a Grand Slam. There are so many good players out there. You can't take anything for granted,'' said Agassi, who had lost in the second round to Clement at last year's U.S.Open, a tournament that he played under great emotional strain after his mother and sister had been diagnosed with breast cancer.

Agassi's last Grand Slam title had come here last year and today he became only the eighth player in the Open Era to successfully defend his title at Melbourne.

``Last year wasn't easy. My body broke down and then there were a few personal things...and it's nice to be back in a position to win,'' said Agassi.

Clement started very well. He won the first five points of the match. But once Agassi, attacking from just inside the baseline, broke the Frenchman's serve to 2-1 the die was cast. After losing his serve again in the fifth game, Clement broke Agassi with a forehand return winner in the next.

But the American went on to ride on the one-break advantage to close out the set before getting right on top in the second, breaking Clement's serve twice.

The first half of the third set was the only phase of the match that could be termed as a contest. Agassi broke the Frenchman's serve in the opening game which lasted 12 minutes but Clement hit back as he ran down a drop shot to break back in the next game.

Then, after getting his nose ahead yet again with a break in the third game, Agassi showed tremendous determination to stave off three breakpoints and hold to 3-1 after seven deuces. From there, it was a formality.

``He was just too strong for me today. I played my natural game but I couldn't do much. I had a few chances and I didn't take them. Today his game was two or three levels higher than mine,'' said Clement.

After winning his seventh Slam title in 12 final appearances, Agassi reflected on his successes at such an ``advanced'' age.

``My career has not been non-stop. There were times when tennis was not the top priority in my life. It saved me for the long term,'' said Agassi. ``But it takes a lot out of you. I hope I have a little bit more in me.''

From the look of things, the megastar from Las Vegas, one of the most gifted players of this or any era, has more than a little bit left in him. And that's not good news for a new generation of players awaiting their turn on the podium on the second Sunday of a Grand Slam fortnight.

Earlier in the day, Ellis Ferreira of South Africa and Corina Morariu of the United states beat Joshua Eagle of Australia and Barbara Schett of Austria 6-1, 6-3 to win the mixed doubles title.

The results (prefix denotes seedings):

Men's singles final: 6-Andre Agassi bt 15-Arnaud Clement 6-4, 6- 2, 6-2.

Mixed doubles final: Ellis Ferreira and Corina Morariu bt Joshua Eagle and Barbara Schett 6-1, 6-3.

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