NEW YORK — Back at his best, back at the top, Roger Federer beat Andy Murray 6-2, 7-5, 6-2 today to win his fifth consecutive U.S. Open championship and 13th Grand Slam title overall.

Federer is the first man since Bill Tilden in the 1920s to win the tournament that many times in a row. He also moved within one major championship of tying Pete Sampras' career record of 14.

The victory might have come as a bit of a relief to Federer, who has struggled during a lackluster-only-for-him season. He lost in the semifinals at the Australian Open, and to nemesis Rafael Nadal in the finals of the French Open and Wimbledon, meaning Federer was on the verge of his first year since 2002 without a major title.

But Murray upset Nadal in the semifinals at Flushing Meadows to reach his first Grand Slam final, and Federer had no trouble this time.