Australian Open: Agassi holds on to Australian crown

Andre Agassi completed his successful defence of the Australian Open title by thrashing Frenchman Arnaud Clement 6-4 6-2 6-2 in Melbourne.

In charge from the moment he broke in the third game, Agassi won his seventh Grand Slam title and third Australian crown.

In doing so he gained superb revenge for his second-round straight-sets defeat by Clement in the US Open last year.

Clement, the 15th seed, was the first French finalist in the event since Jean Borotra won in 1928, but never got a look-in against a man who had appeared in prime form from the moment he won the opening set of his first match 6-0.

The last player to retain the trophy was fellow American Jim Courier in 1993 - and it is the first time that sixth seed Agassi, three months away from his 31st birthday, has won a Grand Slam title two years running.