Ljubicic takes first career title

Ivan Ljubicic displayed an aggressive style

Croatia's Ivan Ljubicic won the first tornament of his career by beating Morocco's Younes El Aynaoui in the final of the Lyon Grand Prix.

Ljubicic, the 22-year-old ranked eight places below El Aynaoui at 48 in the world, took the match 6-3 6-2.

The Croat's aggressive game and the fact that his opponent was carrying an arm injury combined to deliver a one-sided contest.

Ljubicic was in charge right from the start, when he won his first two service games to love, and after just half an hour he had won the opening set.

Downfall

El Aynaoui contributed to his own downfall in the second set with crucial errors which helped the Croat to win in just 59 minutes.

Ljubicic, a doubles finalist in Lyon 12 months ago, obviously likes the French tournament.

This year he beat the world number one, Brazilian Gustavo Kuerten, in the opening round and 11th-ranked Russian Marat Safin in the semi-finals.

After the final, he said: "This has been a week of first times for me.

"My first victory over the world number one, my first victory. I really love it here."

El Aynaoui said: "I'm sorry I did not offer much of an opposition, but he served too well."

In the final of the doubles competition, top seeds Daniel Nestor of Canada and Yugoslavia's Nenad Zimonjic defeated French pair Arnaud Clement and Sebastien Grosjean 6-1 6-2.