September 12, 2005

Andre Agassi loses to Roger Federer after delivering one of his finest performances in United States Open final; match of 35-year-old Agassi and 24-year-old Federer is intergenerational tussle and contrast in styles; top-seeded Federer, from Switzerland, did not play his best, but played close enough to his best in critical phases of third and fourth sets to win his second consecutive US Open and run his record in Grand Slam finals to 6-0; Agassi, oldest men's finalist at US Open in 31 years, calls Federer 'best I've ever played against'; says he would like to continue playing next season; photos (M)

Lawrence J Ellison, chief executive of Oracle, reportedly reaches tentative agreement under which he will pay $100 million to charity to resolve shareholder lawsuit filed in California charging that he sold almost $900 mllion shares of Oracle in 2001 ahead of news that company would not meet its expected earnings target; shares lost almost half their value after announcement; Ellison successfully fought similar lawsuit in Delaware; fact that payment is to go to charity rather than to company, as typically happens in derivative lawsuits, suggests that both sides compromised; plaintiffs' lawyers will receive about $22.5 million, separate from $100 million payment; photo (M)

IN pigtails and pedal pushers, Jaz Agassi ran full tilt down the carpeted hallway of Arthur Ashe Stadium, her feet trying to catch up to her momentum, her direction set on her daddy's weary legs as he walked off the court. A moment earlier, Andre Agassi had been standing at a trophy ceremony, leaning slightly to his left in an ode to his finicky back, as Roger Federer held the United States Open cup.

THE TASK AHEAD -- New Orleans leaders and residents are just beginning to be able to confront the questions of how much of the city will be rebuilt, what it will look like and what its character will be. PAGE A13 FAMILIES REUNITED -- It has taken shoe leather, cellphones and the grapevine to reunite families separated by Hurricane Katrina. PAGE A13 THE WATERS -- What laps against New Orleans's homes is not water but a kind of antiwater: green-black more than blue-green, it evokes only destruction, disease and death. PAGE A16 BLOW FOR REPUBLICANS -- The storm may have damaged plans by the Republican Party to make inroads among black voters and expand its reach. PAGE A17

Jon Pareles Critics' Choice reviews of new CD by Paul McCartney; photo (M)