http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/tennis/1020089.stm
Sunday, 12 November, 2000, 17:13 GMT
Clement's the pride of Lyon
Arnaud Clement claimed his first title with a straight
sets success over Pat Rafter in the final of the Lyon
Grand Prix.

The Frenchman won two tie breaks in just under two hours
to take both sets 7-6.

The unseeded Clement had been helped into the final by
Andre Agassi's withdrawal through injury during their
semi-final.

But he made the most of his opportunity against the eighth
seeded Rafter, who had begun the contest as favourite after
his straight sets defeat of Gustavo Kuerten en route to
the final.


The Australian earned his first lead of the afternoon, 5-4
in the first set of a match which began with three straight
breaks of serve.

Inspired

But the inspired Frenchman carried on into a tiebreaker,
when he ran away with the opening set winning 7-2.

The second set was just as close with the Frenchman performing
heroics to come back from 0-30 down in the fifth game with
three consecutive aces.

The set went into another tiebreaker and Clement claimed the
victory 7-5, helped by a Rafter double fault at 4-2.

Clement now stands 2-0 against Rafter and has beaten the
Queenslander twice at this event, the first time in 1997 and
was delighted with his performance.

"Winning the first title of my career is such a thrill,"
revealed Clement, who picked up a cheque for $109,000.

"I don't think I dominated the match. I played well in both
sets though.

"The match turned on one or two points, it was like poker."

Rafter has now lost two finals this year, including Wimbledon
against Pete Sampras, and was in reflective mood after the match.

"It's always disappointing to lose," said the 27-year-old.

"He played very well. I was trying all during the match to break
his serve, but Arnaud played a smart game, he didn't let me play
well at all."

Clement becomes the third Frenchman to win the Lyon title after
Yannick Noah in 1987 and Fabrice Santoro a decade later.

Clement faces Greg Rusedski in the first round of the Masters
Series tournament in Paris, which begins on Monday.