Agassi corrects old omission and puts youth in its place

It is impossible not to experience the everyday dichotomy between the ancient and the modern in this city. Andre Agassi might bridle if he were described as ancient, but his 6-3, 6-3, 6-0 victory over Germany's Tommy Haas in the final of the Italian Open yesterday came 13 years after he held a championship point at the Foro Italico, and clearly it meant a huge amount to him both in terms of tennis history and his own. "It's an honour," he said. "A real honour".

Haas, who by reaching this final raised himself to No2 in the world rankings behind Lleyton Hewitt, bravely attempted to stem the inevitable but by the end of the second set had reached the conclusion that virtually everybody in the crowd had drawn before the match began - namely, that having made it this far the 32-year-old American would not be denied.

In hindsight, Haas was well aware that he might have taken more risks, might have tried to come into the net more often. But Agassi exerted such unremitting pressure from the word go that the 24-year-old German, who as a teenager practised with Agassi at the Nick Bollettieri Academy, always found himself playing catch-up.

When he first competed on European clay in Rome in 1987, Agassi considered that the surface was scarcely worth playing tennis on: "You'd play four great shots and still lose the point." But, as with all great players, he adjusted and might so easily have won this title in 1989 against Argentina's Alberto Mancini.

On Saturday, Agassi had defeated Jiri Novak of the Czech Republic 7-5, 6-4 and Haas had defeated Andy Roddick 6-1, 7-5. Haas had made optimistic noises, rightly so given that he had won the last four finals he had contested. A much improved consistency saw him finish last year as the world No8, and he has held on to that form this year.

But simple consistency is a blunt weapon when ranged against Agassi. As early as the first game the Haas serve came under pressure from the best returner in the world, and in the fifth it snapped, even though it took an umpire's overrule to set Agassi full sail into what proved to be calm seas. Haas threw up a lob which Agassi clearly believed to be long and the American promptly set off towards the chair. But it was called in by the linesman. The umpire duly descended, checked the mark, and ruled in favour of Agassi.

Haas made a formidable effort to right matters immediately. But Agassi, despite being 15-40 down on his serve, eventually held to establish a 4-2 first-set lead. Double faults were beginning to creep insidiously into Haas's game, and a brace saw him go 3-1 behind in the second set. Briefly Agassi faltered at 4-2, losing his serve for the first time, but he broke back immediately, effectively ending Haas's resistance.

This was Agassi's third title of the year, and his 52nd in total. He has now won a record 14 Tennis Masters Series events - the nine leading tournaments outside the grand slams - which is three more than Pete Sampras.

Earlier this year he sprang a major surprise when he parted with his long-time coach Brad Gilbert. But the transition from Gilbert to Darren Cahill, Hewitt's former coach, has been seamless.

"I've done great work with Darren. He is continually pushing me to get better," said Agassi. Not too much better, all his rivals will hope, although the odds against him winning a second French Open title next month have now shortened sharply.

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