Safina, who was beaten by the Frenchwoman in the Australian Open [ Images ] second round last month, took advantage of Mauresmo's weak serve to clinch her third WTA title in two hours and 19 minutes.

Second-seeded Mauresmo, a winner in Paris in 2001, has now lost three finals in the Pierre de Coubertin hall after two previous defeats by Serena Williams [ Images ] in 1999 and 2003.

"She took her chance. She was very solid. I had many chances in the first set, which I didn't convert," said Mauresmo. "Obviously, I didn't play my best tennis but she deserves her win."

Australian Open winner Marat Safin's [ Images ] younger sister Safina, hitting baseline winners, surprisingly won the first set in an hour after breaking Mauresmo's serve three times in a row.

However, the Frenchwoman took a 2-0 lead in the second set before ramming the advantage home as she broke Safina again in the fifth game, forcing the Russian to a decider.

Three forehand errors by Mauresmo gave Safina a 3-1 lead in the final set and the Russian then held serve before breaking an embittered Mauresmo again to serve for the match.

The Frenchwoman came back to 5-3 but eventually bowed out on Safina's first match point.