Hewit wins U.S. Open

NEW YORK, SEPT. 10. Relentless Lleyton Hewitt chased down nearly every shot Pete Sampras fired across the net, demoralising the humbled legend in a stunning Grand Slam final debut to capture the U.S. Open title here on Sunday.

The 20-year-old Australian, embroiled in a racial controversy a week ago, routed Sampras 7-6 (7-4), 6-1, 6-1 last night in the worst U.S. Open final rout in a decade and the worst loss here for 10th seed Sampras since 1989.

``It's unbelievable,'' Hewitt said. ``It's a feeling you can't describe. It's these moments you dream of and for it to come true for me at such a young age, it's just fantastic. It's a dream come true.''

Fourth seed Hewitt committed only three unforced errors in the final two sets, zipping winners past the 30-year- old American with deadly accuracy as Sampras settled for runner- up honours for the second year in a row.

``I started to get into a bit of a `Zone' with the passing shots,'' Hewitt said. ``I was determined to hit the shots and I was getting them all. The match-winning shot was probably my backhand pass up the line.''

Hewitt won his 10th career title, and by far his most important, before a crowd of 23,960 at Arthur Ashe Stadium, becoming the youngest U.S. Open champion since Sampras won his first of four U.S. Open crowns 11 years ago.

He had all the answers for everything I tried, from picking off my serve to hitting great passing shots,`` Sampras said. ''It was just too good. What do you do? you play a solid point. You couldn't do any more. He hits a winner. You have just got to tip your cap and say, `that's too good.'``

Hewitt went from villain to hero after being hounded when remarks he made in a second-round match were interpreted as racial insults. Hewitt was down two sets to one to black American foe James Blake when he complained about a black linesman calling him for foot faults. But when he asked umpire Andreas Egli if he saw any ''similarities`` in opposite calls on ends of the court, Blake thought he meant similar skin colour of player and linesman.

An uproar arose, but Hewitt apologised for the misunderstanding and was not fined by the International Tennis Federation. Scattered booing has dogged Hewitt since what he called one of the worst moments of his career.

''I didn't mean anything bad and it all got blown up,`` Hewitt said. ''I copped a lot of flak for something I didn't mean at all. I was disappointed because I was innocent in the whole thing. I had to just block it out``.

Hewitt put aside the controversy, ousted 19-year-old Andy Roddick in a five-set quarter-final and inflicted the most lopsided semifinal rout in U.S. Open history on Russian seventh seed Yevgeny Kafelnikov.

It was the worst U.S. Open finals blowout since Stefan Edberg, one of Hewitt's favourite players, beat Jim Courier 6-2, 6-4, 6-0 in the 1991 final and the worst men's Slam final blowout since Czech Petr Korda beat Chile's Marcelo Rios 6-2, 6-2, 6-2 in 1998 Australian Open final.

It was the worst U.S. Open loss for Sampras since his fourth round exit in 1989 when Jay Berger ousted him 7-5, 6-2, 6- 1. Sampras has not won a Slam title away from his beloved Wimbledon grass since the 1997 Australian Open.

''I lost to a great champion,`` Sampras said. ''You're going to see this Lleyton Hewitt guy for the next 10 years. It's unbelievable. The kid is so quick. Those legs, I wish I had some of those legs for this old guy.``

Sampras beat Hewitt 7-6, 6-4, 7-6 in last year's U.S. Open semifinals, the Aussie's best prior Slam performance. But Sampras, who turned 30 last month, saw his career-record title drought reach 18 events.

Sampras failed to win his fifth U.S. Open title in his 17th Slam final. He has not won any title since taking his record 13th slam title last year at Wimbledon. Sampras also failed to become the only man with Slam singles titles in nine consecutive years. He and Bjorn Borg share the record eight.

Hewitt won $ 850,000, improved his season-best ATP victory total to 64 and levelled his career mark with Sampras at 4-4. He becomes only the second Aussie to win the U.S. Open crown since 1973, following Pat Rafter.

Sampras had not been broken in 87 consecutive games before Hewitt broke him in the match's first game. ''I knew I had to get off to a quick start,`` Hewitt said. ''He wants to put the pressure on you from the start. I was really pleased to get up.``

Hewitt returned the favour quickly, missing on four first serves and handing over the break in four points with two double faults. ''Obviously I had a few nerves going playing the greatest player who ever lived in the biggest match of my life,`` Hewitt said. ''I got off to a great start and he broke right back so it settled my nerves.``

In the tie-breaker, Hewitt won four of the last five points, three on errors by Sampras, the last of them a backhand volley beyond the baseline. Hewitt dominated from there. ''When I got down two breaks in the second, I felt it slipping away,`` Sampras said. ''He got up two breaks and I didn't have the answers.``

By the third set, Sampras was shattered. Hewitt broke him in the first game with a cross-court backhand winner, broke again in the fifth game and ended it on his second match point with a backhand cross-court winner after one hour and 54 minutes, then fell onto his back in relief.

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