after surgery but the Australian knows he needs a lot more competition to find his best grand slam form.

Bermuda resident Rafter, who was out of the game for almost half a year with a damaged shoulder, lost his second-round match at the French Open to local favourite Cedric Pioline yesterday.

"The shoulder (standing up to the match) is probably the bigest thing I'll get out of this,'' he said after a fighting performance in three tight sets.

"I think it was pretty evident in the match that I was really short of practice and hard work and definitely matches,'' said Rafter, US Open champion in 1997 and 1998.

Rafter retired in the fifth set of his first round match against Pioline at Flushing Meadow last August and did not come back until late February at Delray Beach.

He is looking to return to the top after reaching the number one spot last July just before his injury.

"I just need a lot of hard work again and if the shoulder can hold up to it then I'll be able to do it,'' he said. Rafter played doubles at the XL Capital Bermuda Open in April, when he told The Royal Gazette that his shoulder was still causing him pain. Even Pioline expressed his hope that the Australian would bounce back. "I hope for the sake of the game that Rafter returns to his very best level,'' said the Frenchman.

Pioline rode a wave of local support as he continued his quest to become the first Frenchman to win the French Open since Yannick Noah in 1983.

The sixth seed, hoping also to become the seventh man to win a Monte Carlo and Roland Garros double, defeated Rafter 7-6, 6-3, 6-4.

"There was an excellent atmosphere. When you play well, it's easier for the crowd to get behind you. I felt they were very involved and that was encouraging,'' said Pioline, who has won over his countrymen in recent years after struggling for their support earlier in his career.

Pioline then went 6-1 up in the first-set tie-break and was glad to have built some capital because he needed his fifth set point to wrap it up 7-5 with a passing shot after a typical Rafter fightback.

Rafter said Pioline was among the favourites. "Cedric, whenever he needed a big point, he knew what to do. And he's playing like a guy who can win this week.'' Out but not down: Pat Rafter, who is out of the French Open but glad his shoulder is on the mend.