MELBOURNE -- Defying the ravages of time, Andre Agassi raced to a landmark fourth Australian Open crown on Sunday, thrashing Rainer Schuettler to become the oldest grand slam champion for 31 years.

The 32-year-old's 6-2 6-2 6-1 victory equals the most one- sided in the event's 98-year history and gives him an eighth grand slam title.

"These are the moments," the second-seeded American said. "For me the whole year is a total success now. "It is hard to believe. There's not a single day that's promised to us and this day means so much... I am so honored."

Not since John Hawkes ran roughshod over Jim Willard in a 1926 all-Australian affair has a men's final lasted just 23 games. None have comprised fewer.

And not since a 34-year-old Andres Gimeno won the French Open in 1972 has a player older than Agassi lifted a grand slam title.

But in a sport increasingly dominated by teenage champions, Agassi just gets better and better.

"I don't know how my body's good enough to still be out here but I feel great," he said, thanking his long-term Fitness Coach Gil Reyes.

Remarkably, for a prodigy who finished 1988 ranked number three in the world aged just 18, Agassi has had to wait until after his 29th birthday for five of those eight grand slam victories.

Best Baseliner Sunday's triumph wrote another footnote in the extraordinary career of the Las Vegan who has scaled the heights and plumbed the depths of the tennis world.

Back in 1997, Agassi had looked down and out, one of the sport's has-beens. His ranking had slumped to 141. The showman was out of shape and overweight, and reduced to playing challenger tournaments.

But he fought his way back to the top, becoming one of only five men to win all four grand slam titles after his triumph at the French Open in 1999.

Now, just three months short of his 33rd birthday, Agassi is as fit as ever and was unstoppable in Melbourne.

He has not lost at Melbourne Park since a fourth round defeat in 1999, a wrist injury caused him to miss last year, and his four Australian crowns are a record for an overseas player.

His maiden Australian victory in 1995 came on his first trip Down Under and Agassi wishes he had started visiting nine years earlier.

Certainly the Rebound Ace courts suit his game perfectly and he ripped past Schuettler in just 76 minutes.

The German is a taekwondo expert but no amount of fight or endurance could help him withstand the battering he received from Agassi.