Roger Federer won the US Open for the third year in a row on Sunday by fending off a rejuvenated Andy Roddick in the final.

Federer was given a decent fight, but the Swiss star proved too good in the end, running out a 6-2 4-6 7-5 6-1 winner at Flushing Meadows in New York.

By winning, Federer becomes the first player in history to win both Wimbledon and the US Open three years running.

The world number one started like a train, his sliced backhand causing Roddick early problems.

The American, who went into the match trailing 10-1 on the head-to-head record, was broken three times in the opening set.

That was the 13th consecutive set that Federer had won against the 24-year-old, but that sequence came to end in the second set, Roddick securing the early break and serving impressively to hold onto that advantage and level the match.

The third set was key to the outcome.

Federer, cheered on from the sidelines by golf superstar Tiger Woods, saved four break points in the fifth game, Roddick five in the sixth as the tension rose.

But with a tie-break looking likely, Federer struck in game 12, another low slice forcing Roddick to net on set point.

That proved a body blow to Roddick's chances and it appeared to affect him mentally.

Federer raced into a 5-0 lead in the fourth set and there was no way back from there.

An overhead put-away from the top seed sealed the ninth Grand Slam title of his career on his second championship point.

Federer told the crowd that winning was "absolutely fantastic".

"I played some great shots every match over the last two weeks and that was no different tonight.

"It was really difficult against Andy. I'm really happy to see him back at the very, very top. It's always a joy to play against him."