The #1 tennis player in the world, Roger Federer, once again earned his top spot after beating Australia's Lleyton Hewitt, today, in the 2004 U.S. Open Tennis Men's Championship, 6-0, 7-6 (7-3), 6-0.

ESPN called him "dominating and spectacular." Andre Agassi described his forehand as "nasty." And John McEnroe said, "He may go down in history – he's getting there – as the greatest player who's ever played."

The first set took Federer 18 minutes to win at Flushing Meadows' Arthur Ashe stadium in New York. No player had shutout another in the first set of the U.S. Open men's championship since 1903 when Hugh Doherty beat William Larned 6-0, 6-3, 10-8.

In the second set, Hewitt came back and forced Federer into a tiebreak. But in 25 minutes, Federer clobbered Hewitt again in the third set, 6-0.

1884 was last time the men's championship had seen two love sets. That year, Richard Sears did it against Howard Taylor 6-0, 1-6, 6-0, 6-2.

Sunday's U.S. Open win for the 23-year-old Swiss champion is Federer's third Grand Slam victory this year and the fourth of his career.

Federer's Three Grand Slam wins include: the Australian Open, Wimbledon and the U.S. Open. For this third Grand, he took home the trophy and $1 million. Hewitt earned $500,000 for the tournament.

Federer is the first man to win three majors in one season since Mats Wilander accomplished this feat in 1988. He now shares this achievement with the Great Jimmy Connors and Rod Laver.

Federer is also the first player to win back-to-back Wimbledon and U.S. Open championships in nearly a decade. The last man to do the same was Pete Sampras in 1995.

The last man to complete the Grand Slam was Rod Laver in 1969.

The only person preventing Federer from doing the same was Gustavo Kuerten at the French Open. In the third round this year, Federer lost to the three-time French Open champion.

Federer's 2004 U.S. Open opponent Lleyton Hewitt (4), won the Open in 2001. Pete Sampras won the tournament in 2002. Last year, Andy Roddick won the title. This year, Andre Agassi, the winner of the U.S. Open in 1999, made it to the quarterfinals where he was beaten by Federer.

Today's title for Federer was his ninth of the year. His 2004 amazing win-loss record now stands at 65-6 and 23-1 in the four majors.

At the award ceremony, Federer said, "Three of four Grand Slams -- it's incredible to me." He told the crowd at the National Tennis Center in New York, "I can't believe it." This was the same statement Roddick made last year after he won the 2003 U.S. Open.

Before the match, Federer said, "I feel very confident out on the court. It's important that every day, I wake up, I'm 100 percent into tennis and ready to go." Clearly, that was the case today.

After today's tournament, the world's top ten tennis players are:

#1 - Roger Federer, Switzerland
#2 - Andy Roddick, U.S.A.
#3 - Guillermo Coria, Argentina
#4 - Lleyton Hewitt, Australia
#5 - Carlos Moya, Spain
#6 - Gaston Gaudio, Argentina
#7 - Tim Henman, U.K.
#8 - Marat Safin, Russia
#9 - Andre Agassi, U.S.A.
#10 - Sebastien Grosjean, France

Also this week in New York, Steffi Graf, John McEnroe, Margaret Court and Jack Kramer were honored as the 2004 U.S. Open Court of Champions Inductees. Graf and McEnroe joined last year's class as Open Era Inductees (1968 - present).

Sixty-two year-old Court, the winner of a record 24 Grand Slam singles titles and eighty-three year-old Kramer, perhaps the most influential man in tennis history, were recognized as Golden Era Inductees (1881 - 1967). Last year, Jimmy Connors, Chris Evert, Billie Jean King, Rod Laver, Bill Tilden and Helen Wills were honored as inaugural Court of Champions inductees.

Today's final marked the 123rd year of the U.S. Open tournament.

In all, the 2004 U.S. Open offered more than $17 Million to a field of 600+ men and women.

To book your tickets for the U.S. Open 2005 Tournament go to: USOpen.org

Here's to healthy, adventuresome, soulful, and "clockwork" Grand Slam living!

~ Jennifer King