Top seed Andre Agassi overwhelmed Italian Davide Sanguinetti 6-3, 6-1 in a one-sided final to win the $380,000 San Jose Open on Sunday.
Agassi's triumph was his record-equalling fifth in the San Jose event. "Every title here has gotten more special," he told reporters after matching John McEnroe's achievement.
"I saw the ball so well all week," added the 32-year-old American, who has won all 12 of his singles matches this year. "I want to be the person who wins this title the most.
"It feels great. Between now and a year ago a lot of questions have been answered and I couldn't be happier where things are."
Sixth seed Sanguinetti broke serve to take a 2-0 lead when his opponent double-faulted but Agassi broke straight back after the Italian also double-faulted.
Agassi broke again to go 3-2 up with a forehand winner and clinched the opening set after another Sanguinetti double-fault.
The American continued to dominate in the second set, frequently wrong-footing Sanguinetti and pounding balls to his backhand.
He broke in Sanguinetti's first service game after a return winner down the line. Agassi broke again to lead 5-1 and, on his third match point, ripped a forehand crosscourt winner to secure the 56th title of his career and a cheque for $52,000.
RUTHLESS AGASSI
Agassi, who crushed Germany's Rainer Schuettler 6-2, 6-2, 6-1 in last month's Australian Open final, is closing out opponents with the same ruthlessness that his wife, now retired 22 times grand slam champion Steffi Graf, once did.
"Any match I have over 45 minutes is a lot longer than she was used to," said Agassi, who only needed an hour to defeat Sanguinetti.
"He was hitting the line every time and I was trying to run left and right but he was too tough," Sanguinetti told reporters.
"It's the best I've ever seen him play. I wasn't expecting him to play that well.
"Usually when you play, you miss sometimes. But today every shot he made was a winner."
Agassi says the key to his success is that he does not go for the lines.
"I play to the thick part of the court and with a hard level of execution so when I miss a shot, which you're going to, I usually miss it to the good," he said.
The world number two is now just 135 points behind world number one Lleyton Hewitt in the rankings. Agassi is next scheduled to play in Scottsdale in two weeks' time.
"I really feel ready to go. I've managed to balance a lot of things in my life and game," said Agassi.
"I am making guys play a great match to beat me and that's all you can do out there."
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