ROME, May 12 (UPI) -- Andre Agassi captured his first claycourt title in
three years Sunday with a 6-3, 6-3, 6-0 victory over Tommy Haas of Germany at the $2.33 million Tennis Masters Series -- Rome.
Agassi, seeded ninth, was winless on this surface since capturing the 1999 French Open. He also became the first American to win this event since Pete Sampras in 1994.
The seven-time Grand Slam champion also made up for some frustration in the past here. In 1989, the-then 19-year-old Agassi squandered a match point in the fourth set before eventually losing to Italien Alberto Mancini.
Using blistering groundstrokes and a consistent return game, Agassi broke seventh-seeded Haas' serve seven times en route to winning the $372,000 first prize. He improved to 4-2 all-time against Haas.
Agassi won his third title of the year after also claiming victories in Scottsdale and Miami.
The winner of the TMS event in Stuttgart last year, Haas was playing in his first final of the season. The 24-year-old lost to Russia's Marat Safin in the semifinals of the Australian Open.
