Neither Andre Agassi nor dreadful weather was going to stop Roger Federer.

Capping a perfect tournament with another sublime performance, Federer beat Agassi 6-3, 6-0, 6-4 in a rain-interrupted final Sunday to win the season-ending Tennis Masters Cup for his tour-high seventh title of 2003.

Federer earned $1,520,000 and moved up to No. 2 in the rankings, behind Andy Roddick. The Wimbledon champion went 5-0 against an elite field, including victories over the other reigning Grand Slam champions: Agassi (Australian Open), Roddick (U.S. Open) and Juan Carlos Ferrero (French Open).

"This week has been great for me," Federer said. "I thought I was in the toughest group, with the toughest opponents, and I came out winning each match against really great players."

By the end of the event's most lopsided final since 1997, Agassi would shake his head after losing points. He never managed one break point, while Federer conjured 39 winners, three times as many as Agassi.

"I'd just like to congratulate Roger, not just for a great match today but great tennis all week. You deserve to win this tournament, and it's an inspiration to watch you move and play," Agassi said during the trophy presentation.

Agassi is 33, Federer 22, and it didn't help Agassi's cause that all four of his previous matches went the distance, including a round-robin loss to the Swiss star.

"I wish I had more for you today," Agassi told the crowd. "It just wasn't quite enough to get the job done."

Agassi was the event's oldest finalist since 1978, and was attempting to be its oldest champion — Ilie Nastase was 29 in 1975. He also was hoping to set the mark for longest gap between titles at the tour championship, having won it in 1990.

But Federer just was too good, before and after a 2 1/2-hour rain delay.

He served strongly, got the best of baseline rallies, and every so often won a point with a shot that didn't appear to be an option. Repeatedly, Federer would drive a ground stroke to a corner, forcing Agassi wide, and then deposit his next shot into the open court for a clean winner.

As Roddick put it after losing to Federer in the semifinals: "The guy has more natural flair and talent for the game than most — I mean, than anybody really."

Rain fell until about a half-hour before the match started and returned after 38 minutes of play. By then, Agassi was in serious trouble, as a quick glance at the statistics made clear: Federer owned edges of 23-6 in total winners, 7-0 in aces and 39-25 in points. He also won four of the five points with 10 or more strokes — an area normally ruled by Agassi, the consummate baseline artist.

Federer already was up a set and a break when the rain came with Agassi serving at 0-2, love-30. When action resumed, Agassi promptly made two straight errors from the baseline to get broken at love. After Federer held to 4-0 when his forehand caught the net tape and trickled over, Agassi's four errors contributed to another break.

Federer rolled through the first set, never facing deuce on his serve and swatting at least one ace in each game.

He earned the set's lone break for a 3-1 edge. Federer reached break point with a backhand winner, then hit a forehand that forced Agassi to flick an over-the-shoulder backhand volley with his back to the net. The ball landed in, but Agassi was out of position, and Federer sent a clean backhand winner down the line.

Federer's serve isn't the fastest around, but his placement and pace changes are outstanding. He ended the first set this way: service winner at 120 mph, ace at 122 mph, serve into Agassi's body that drew a forehand return long, and a crosscourt backhand passing winner at a seemingly impossible angle.

Agassi began the second set as poorly as possible, double-faulting to 15-40, then double-faulting again to gift-wrap a 1-0 lead. Federer held to 2-0 with a 123 mph ace, then was up love-30 in the next game thanks to another double-fault by Agassi.

That's when Agassi asked the chair umpire to check the slickness of the court. Tournament supervisor Stefan Fransson asked the players to wait out the bad weather, and Agassi and Federer draped towels over their shoulders to stay warm.

That didn't work. After about 10 minutes, the drizzles turned into a downpour with thunder, and the players were sent to the locker room.

When they came back out, Federer finished off the shutout in the second set, then broke Agassi for the fifth time to go ahead 5-4 in the third. From there, Federer simply had to serve it out, which he did, ending with his 11th ace.

Still, Agassi proved again this week that he has plenty of tennis left, moving up one place to No. 4 in the rankings and leaving with $700,000.

The sport's future, meanwhile, could be marked by a Roddick-Federer rivalry.

Roddick, 21, finishes the season at No. 1, but Federer won one more title and six more matches — a tour-leading 78 — and holds a 5-1 head-to-head edge over the American.

"You kind of need to do a lot well," Roddick said. "He doesn't really have any big weaknesses."

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