Second title for Agassi

Andre Agassi won his second US Open title as he battled back to beat fellow American Todd Martin in a thrilling final at Flushing Meadows last night.

The world number two, whose victory has helped him to regain top spot, staged a remarkable recovery after Martin had taken a two sets to one lead.

Agassi took the first set 6-4, but as the next two saw both players hold serve throughout, seventh seed Martin won successive tiebreaks to stun his opponent.

However, Agassi, also the 1994 victor in New York, raised his game and had the greater stamina as Martin began to struggle.

Agassi levelled the match with a 6-3 win in the fourth set and from then on it the Las Vegan.

Agassi immediately had Martin in trouble in the fifth, breaking the seventh seed at love in the second game with a blazing backhand return down the line and holding at love in the third for a swift 3-0 lead.

Martin settled down in the next game by serving a love game of his own, but he was never able to break through on Agassi's serve.

Agassi lost just three points off his serve in the entire fifth set and broke a tiring Martin once more in the eighth game to end it.

It was Agassi's second Grand Slam triumph this year after he fought back from two sets down against Andrei Medvedev to win the French Open. He also reached the Wimbledon final in which he was beaten by Pete Sampras.