The Associated Press

HOUSTON - Andre Agassi was too busy trying to beat Andy Roddick to even think about their age difference.

Agassi, who will be 33 on Tuesday, rallied to beat the 20-year-old Roddick 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 on Sunday in the final of the U.S. Men's Clay Court Championships.

"Inside the lines I don't see age," Agassi said. "It's about what your game is what you have to bring to the table. You have to deal with somebody else and they have to deal with you no matter how old your are."

Agassi won his 58th career title a day after becoming the oldest man player to hold the No. 1 ranking.

"I'm still numb, to be honest," Agassi said. "Andy kept me from getting comfortable for most of the match. Early in the second set, I made some big points and closed out the match. Sometimes it's better to be lucky."

He fought back from a set and a break down in the second set.

"It's hard not to feel great about my game," Agassi said. "I'm hitting the ball really well, and coming up with the right shots at the right time to come up with so many matches. that's feels amazing. I can't ask for a better start."

Roddick, with his dominating serve, broke Agassi in the eighth game of the first set. Agassi escaped one break point in the first game of the second set and was down triple-break point in the second when he started his comeback with a dropshot winner.

He went on to hold serve and broke Roddick in the sixth and eighth games of the second set.

"It's tough to lose, knowing that you were one point from being up two breaks," Roddick said. "If I'm up two breaks, I usually feel pretty good about my chances."

Roddick was trying to become the first player to win the tournament three straight years since Bobby Riggs in 1936-38.

Both players stayed on serve in the third set until the fifth game, when Agassi broke through with a backhand dropshot winner that bounced just over the net.

Agassi also hit a dropshot winner down love-40 in the crucial third game of the second set.

"I felt pretty desperate the whole time," Agassi said. "I can understand why it's so hard to beat him here the way he serves, and his second serve is such a big weapon."

The big break in the third set was all Agassi needed to boost his match record to 23-1 this season and capture his fourth title of the year, a record that includes the Australian Open.

Agassi declared himself ready for Europe and the clay tournaments, leading up to the start of the French Open on May 26.

Agassi lost to Pete Sampras in the semifinals of the Clay Court last year before going to Europe.

"I didn't go over to the clay feeling as good as I do right now," Agassi said. "I attribute that to the start I've had and how I've been hitting the ball.

"It's already been a great year. The year could have ended after Australia and it would have been a great year. It's only getting better. that's amazing for me to experience."

Williams sisters sweep Czechs in Fed Cup

LOWELL, Mass. - Daja Bedanova summed up the Williams sisters this way: "They're big. They're everywhere."

That's true on the tennis court, where Serena and Venus Williams swept five matches for the United States against the Czech Republic in the Fed Cup, and off the court.

"It's huge because they transcend tennis," U.S. captain Billie Jean King said. "They're just so popular. When they play, it's very extra special."

The Czechs learned the hard way. They were unable to win a set against the world's No. 1 ranked player, Serena, and third-ranked Venus.

Both sisters say they want to play in the next round, in July against Italy, but on Sunday made no promises. It will be played in a U.S. city, to be announced next month.

"My serve was cooking a little more," Serena said after the clinching victory. "It's a wonderful experience. I really love it. Go USA."

The United States took a 2-0 lead into Sunday, and Serena needed just 50 minutes to beat Klara Koukalova 6-2, 6-2 and put the Americans into the next round.

Venus then defeated Iveta Benesova 6-3, 6-2 in the last singles, with doubles to follow.

The sisters completed the 5-0 weekend sweep with a 6-0, 6-1 doubles victory in 44 minutes, beating Bedanova and Eva Birnerova.

The sisters joined teammates Meghann Shaughnessy and Alexandra Stevenson in parading the American flag around the Tsongas Arena court after the clinching match.

King opted not to substitute the sisters for the doubles match.

"When your No. 1 and 2 players want to play, they play. They've earned it," King said, adding that Shaughnessy and Stevenson understood. "I told them and they said 'fair enough, we have to earn it."'

Serena said the doubles match was "a good opportunity for not only myself and Venus to get a wonderful practice, but as well for the fans."

King agreed: "That's what the fans want, don't you think? We're in the entertainment business, hello?"

Shaughnessy and Stevenson were not available to comment.

The Czechs, a match away from elimination, made a last-minute lineup change Sunday against Serena. Koukalova took the court instead of Bedanova, who lost to Venus in 48 minutes Saturday.

"I had to do anything," Czech team captain Petra Langrova said. "Everybody expected we're going to lose very easy. We wanted to do something and surprise her."

A day earlier, Serena attributed her slow start to another surprise - she hadn't realized Benesova was left-handed. She won 7-5, 6-1.

The outcome was in stark contrast to last year. King kicked Jennifer Capriati off the team last year for practice violations. That resulted in the team forfeiting the first match against Austria, which won 3-2 in Charlotte, N.C.

"I think the biggest difference definitely is you see that teamwork and chemistry works," U.S. assistant coach Zina Garrison said. "The enthusiasm has been great."

The United States has won the Fed Cup a record 17 times and is the favorite this year. The final is in November.

The Williams sisters, who have won six of the past seven singles Grand Slams, had last played in the Fed Cup in the 1999 final, leading the team to the title over Russia.

The U.S. team beat Spain for the 2000 Fed Cup crown but skipped the 2001 final in Madrid because of security concerns after the Sept. 11 attacks. Slovakia beat Spain to win the Cup last year.

In other World Group matches, it was: Italy 3, Sweden 2; Slovakia 3, Germany 2; Russia 4, Croatia 1; Spain 3, Australia 2; Belgium 5, Austria 0; France 5, Colombia 0; and Slovenia 3, Argentina 2.

The other quarterfinal pairings are: Russia-Slovenia, Spain-France and Belgium-Slovakia.

Flavia Pennetta and Roberta Vinci won the deciding doubles match, allowing Italy to advance in Linkoping, Sweden. Daniela Hantuchova overcame a 24-hour rain delay and won twice to carry defending champion Slovakia in Ettenheim, Germany.