An awesome display of serving saw Andy Roddick crush Juan Carlos Ferrero to win the US Open title at Flushing Meadows.

Roddick slammed down 22 aces against a bewildered Ferrero as he ran out a 6-3 7-6 6-3 winner in New York.

Ferrero, who had been able to cope with the big serve of Martin Verkerk in June's French Open final, had no answer, even off the ground in the rare rallies, to Roddick's power and the fourth seed went on to lift his first Grand Slam trophy.

Roddick looked stunned as he clinched victory - fittingly with an ace - after just one hour and 42 minutes.

Roddick regained his composure at the presentation ceremony and reflected on his many trips to the US Open as a child spectator.

"It hasn't sunk in," he told the crowd as he was interviewed live on court.

"I came to this tournament so may times as a kid and watched form way up there," he continued, looking up towards the stands.

"I am just in disbelief to be honest."

Ferrero, who can console himself with the fact that on Monday he will be world number one in the ATP rankings, conceded he had been beaten by the better man on the day.

"Today I do not think I played my best tennis but today I think Andy played so good," he said.

The first set was effectively decided by Roddick's break of serve in the fifth game, two crushing forehands helping him to a 4-1 lead.

Three straight aces - including one at 141mph - saw him serve out the set and set the tone for the rest of the match.

Ferrero was far from serving badly himself as he showed in a serve-dominated second set.

No break points were forthcoming and into a crucial tie-break it went.

Amazingly, given what had gone before, the first five points went to the returner, leaving Roddick a mini-break ahead after a couple of wild errors from the third seed.

Roddick did not need a second invitation and swept through the remainder of the tie-break, winning it 7-2 to open up a two-set lead.

It was hard to see Ferrero fighting back and even he did not look confident of doing so.

With Roddick serving so well it was no wonder.

However, Ferrero's chances arrived at last in game seven.

At 15-40, the Spanish star held his first break points since early in the first set.

But both were soon gone, again thanks to huge Roddick serves which he could not return.

A dejected Ferrero trudged back to his chair seconds later wondering if that was his last opportunity.

It was.

A double fault in the very next game gifted Roddick a break and a 5-3 lead.

Sixty seconds later it was all over.

Three straight aces from 15-0 proved an apt end for the 21-year-old Roddick who had fufilled the prophecy of being the next great American player.

Looking shocked, an emotional Roddick burst into tears at the end and climbed into the stands to embrace coach Brad Gilbert, his parents and girlfriend Mandy Moore.