beat Bermuda-based eighth seed Patrick Rafter 7-6 7-6 in the final of the Lyon Grand Prix yesterday and earn his first career title.

The unseeded Clement, who advanced to the final when Andre Agassi was forced out of their semi-final with a hip injury, took full advantage of his opportunity, joining compatriots Yannick Noah and Fabrice Santoro as the only Frenchmen to win in Lyon.

"This is my first title so it's very emotional,'' said Clement, 22nd in the ATP Champions Race. "It was important for me to win here for many reasons.

"First it was my first tournament and it was here in France.

"And thirdly my dad will now have to shave off his moustache as he promised.'' Rafter, playing in his first final since losing to Pete Sampras at Wimbledon, had appeared to be back in top form after a comprehensive straight-sets quarter-final victory over Champions Race leader Gustavo Kuerten on Friday.

But the twice US Open champion was simply outclassed by the hustling Frenchman, who maintained his 100 percent record over the Australian.

"The better man won on the day,'' said Rafter, who has struggled through an uneven campaign while trying to find his form after shoulder surgery. "Arnaud returned very well today and I had to change my serve so you have to give him a lot of credit for that.'' Clement brought the capacity crowd at the Palais des Sports, many of whom had arrived two hours before the start of the match, to their feet when he broke Rafter to open the first set.

But Rafter immediately broke back, taking the game with a cheeky lob that even the partisan French crowd had to grudgingly applaud.

With Rafter struggling with his serve, Clement kept up the pressure on the Australian and broke him a second time on his way to a 3-1 lead.

Attacking the net at every opportunity, Rafter was able to break back in the eighth game, in what turned out to be the final break of the match as the set drifted to a tie-break which Clement easily captured 7-2.

The tight play carried on into the second, with neither player able to find an opening and another tie-break following.

This time it was Rafter who took the initiative, claiming the first two points.

But Clement swept the next four to take control, closing out the contest on his first match point, and the crowd errupted in a standing ovation as he punched the air in triumph.

"I think I dominated the first set but he dominated the second,'' said Clement, whose only other final appearance came at another French tournament in Marseille earlier this year. "He had trouble at first and then he started to mix it up and it became much tougher for me.

"I had to dig very deep into my reserves for this win.'' Second best: Pat Rafter holds his runner-up trophy after suffering defeat in Lyon, France. -- AP