Rafter Defends U.S. Open Title

Poise and near-perfection. With an awesome display of speed and accuracy, Patrick Rafter proved he belongs as a U.S. Open champion.

Rafter made just five unforced errors in the entire match, retaining his title Sunday by winning an all-Australian battle with Mark Philippoussis 6-3, 3-6, 6-2, 6-0.

The third-seeded Rafter won the final 10 games as Philippoussis' usually overpowering serve became a liability.

Rafter's victory gave the Open its second consecutive repeat champion. Pete Sampras won in 1995-96.

"Now I feel that last year wasn't such a fluke. Now I can look at people and say I've done it again," Rafter said. "Having the experience last year really helped me in this match. I was very relaxed out there."

It was Aussie Rules tennis in the final, with both players diving to the concrete courts and sending volleys rocketing across the net. But Rafter had precision to go with his power.

"I really didn't do anything that much wrong, except for a few double faults," Philippoussis said. "Pat hit a lot of passing shots, he made me volley from my shoetops. He was playing great tennis. The guy's just quick."

Rafter, who had to rally from a two-set deficit in the first round but never was threatened again in the tournament, won $700,000 and moved up to No. 2 in the world rankings -- just behind Sampras, whom he defeated Saturday in the semifials.

The match was tied at one set apiece and 2-2 in the third set when Rafter took command. After holding serve, Rafter moved to break point on an incredible point when he raced around the court to return an overhead, a forehand into the corner and a drop shot. He broke Philippoussis' serve on the next point.

Rafter then won the next eight games to close out the match.

During changeovers, rafter thought back to his five-set victory over Hicham Arazi in the first round.

"I was thinking to myself, `This is not right, I should be at home,"' he said. "I was very lucky and I felt that way the whole tournament, very lucky to be here."

Rafter, looking like a Samurai warrior with a pony tail and a mangy beard that he grew during the tournament, has a game tailor-made for the hard, fast courts and hard, fast balls of the U.S. Open.

Philippoussis, in his first Grand Slam final, stayed in the match by saving 13 of 14 break points until midway through the third set, but Rafter converted five of his six break points after that.

Rafter faced just three break points in the match and lost his serve only once. His serve was broken only seven times in the seven rounds of the tournament.

It was intense tennis from the start. Late in the first set, Rafter tumbled to the court for a shot. When a ballboy brought over a towel, Rafter dried off the court -- not himself. Philippoussis made a similar dive later in the match.

Though the two players are not close and didn't speak to each other most of the summer because of a feud centering on Philippoussis' decision not to play on the Australian Davis Cup team, there was a gentlemanly air to the match.

When Rafter made bad service tosses and caught the ball instead of hitting it, he yelled, "Sorry, mate," across the net.

As Australian flags waved in the stands, Rafter captured his sixth title of the year and improved his record to 25-2 since Wimbledon.

Rafter appeared to be in trouble just before taking command of the match. In the fifth game of the third set, he was up 40-0 but lost three straight points -- slamming his racket to the court after netting a volley to fall to deuce.

He came right back to hold his serve, though, beginning his run of 10

Mark Philippoussis was unable to become the second unseeded champion in U.S. Open history. (AP)

"After the 2-all game, I think I just showed a bit of emotion there, I was a bit frustrated," Rafter said. "I just loosened up, and from there I just gained more and more confidence."

Philippoussis was trying to join Andre Agassi athe only unseeded men's champion in U.S. Open history. Agassi pulled off the feat in 1994.

"This is a start of something in my career. I'm only 21 years old. I'm hoping and counting on having many more Sundays in Grand Slams," he said. "This is just a start for me."

Philippoussis swept to the final with power, blowing opponents off the court with 130-mph serves. His shots even sound different than those of other players -- they have a full-throated "thwack" that approaches a roar.

But Philippoussis' power was no match for the speed of Rafter, who has won all three of their career matches. The second set was the first Rafter ever lost in their rivalry.

"You've got to hand it to Pat, five unforced errors for the match," Philippoussis said. "At the moment, he's playing like the best player in the world."

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