[naught33]

HAMBURG, Germany -- This was just what Roger Federer needed before the French Open.

The No. 1 ranked player in the world beat French teenager Richard Gasquet 6-3, 7-5, 7-6 (4) Sunday to defend his Hamburg Masters title and win his tour-leading sixth championship of the year.

The Hamburg event is a major clay-court warm-up for the French Open, which starts May 23. It is the only major Federer has never won; his best showing was a place in the quarterfinals in 2001.

"I feel now that I have more options on clay, I have a good feeling. I believe now I can do better at the French, but I came here to win this tournament," Federer said.

Federer doesn't consider clay his best surface but the week went well for him -- he won his third Hamburg title in four years without dropping a set.

"I've had many disappointments at the French Open and now I just want to concentrate on early rounds," he said.

Apart from never having won the French Open, Federer's numbers are very impressive. He has won Wimbledon the last two years, plus the U.S. Open and the Australian Open in 2004.

By avenging one of only two losses this year, Federer stretched his Open era record -- he has now won 19 consecutive finals.

His record for the year is 41-2. Going back to the beginning of last year's U.S. Open, Federer is 57-2.

One of those losses came to Gasquet last month in the Monte Carlo Masters quarterfinals. The other was to Marat Safin in the semifinals of the Australian Open.

"You always want to beat the guys who have beaten you," Federer said.

Gasquet took some comfort from the loss.

"I now have a lot of confidence for Roland Garros, it's a good experience to play three sets in a final against Federer," he said.

Federer took early control of the final and never relinquished it, although Gasquet was no pushover.

"Once you've won once or twice here, you come into the tournament with confidence," Federer said. "It went as I expected, you can't expect an easy match. But winning in straight sets in always convincing."

The 18-year-old Gasquet looks like a younger version of Federer: both use big groundstrokes, one-handed backhands, cover the court well and can hit winners from both sides.

"I knew it would be tough, he showed today how well he can play," Federer said.

Federer was just steadier when it came to the big points. In the first set, he won his first -- and only -- break point to go up 2-0. That break of serve proved to be decisive.

In the second set, Federer went up 6-5 and fired an ace to win the set in the next game.

"It was difficult to break him, he has a fantastic backhand," Federer said.

Federer came into the tournament after taking three weeks off to rest swollen feet. Between the second and third set, a trainer came out to fasten tape around his left foot.

"It looks worse than it is," Federer said.

Neither player faced a break point in the final set and Federer was helped by a double-fault from Gasquet to go up 4-2 in the tiebreaker. But a backhand from Gasquet that sailed wide gave Federer two match points. He only needed one. Gasquet's forehand went wide, giving Federer the match.

"Roger was simply better today," Gasquet said. "I had a lot of chances today, but I didn't return well the entire match and that was the key -- he never lost his serve."