Melbourne: Andre Agassi crushed German Rainer Schuettler 6-2, 6-2, 6-1 to win his fourth Australian Open title and eighth Grand Slam crown in the final on January 26.

The 32-year-old American overpowered the 31st German seed with relentless pressure which had Schuettler scurrying around the court to keep in the points.

Agassi clinched victory in just 76 minutes.

Agassi broke Schuettler's service eight times in one of the easiest wins in an Australian Open final.

The American broke Schuettler's first two service games to race to a 3-0 lead. Shell-shocked Schuettler steadied from his rocky start and broke back in the fourth game, but relentless Agassi worked his way to two break-points in Schuettler's fourth service game and broke when the German over hit a forehand.

Agassi was down 0-30 as he served out for the set but skated to the first set in just 29 minutes on the back of two Schuettler forehand errors. He went on with the job in the second set to take control and reeled off the second set in 26 minutes.

Schuettler was remonstrating with himself as the final was slipping away from him. But the German's game was unravelling under the might of Agassi's assault and he was broken three more times in the third set to complete a sorry first-ever Grand Slam final appearance.

Agencies