British number one Andy Murray overcame one of the fastest serves on the ATP Tour to retain his SAP Open title in San Jose.

Murray recovered from a set and a break down against unseeded Croatian Ivo Karlovic to clinch the match 6-7 (7-3) 6-4 7-6 (7-2) to clinch his second tour title.

"I was able to take more advantage of my second serve, I had more opportunities than I had on my first serve," said Murray, who beat Australia's Lleyton Hewitt in the 2006 final.

"I was returning much better off Ivo's first serve. For three sets he was so confident you just got to hang in there and try to keep it tight, and when you get your chances, I just had to take them."

Karlovic rained down an incredible 26 aces, compared to just eight from the 19-year-old world number 13, while serving at over 140 miles per hour during the two-hour, 34-minute contest.

"It's the little things you can pick up on as the match goes on. I was able to pick up the ball the from my backhand. I've never played anyone like that before," he added.

Murray hit 55 per cent on his first serve and scored on 76 per cent of his first serves, while also hitting 62 per cent on his second.

"He (coach Brad Gilbert) told me to put a high percentage of first serves in and try to be patient on the second," said Murray.

"My ground strokes are pretty solid. I know now not to try to overplay the shots, and sometimes I have a habit of doing that."

Murray had the first and only break point in the fifth game of the first set but squandered the chance as the world number 103 held to edge 3-2 ahead.

The set went with serve to 6-6 and in the tie-break it was the 6ft 10in Karlovic who held his nerve to wrap it up at the first time of asking with a second mini-break.

The pair traded breaks at the start of the second set but Murray levelled the match when he took a first set-point opportunity at 40-30 on the Karlovic serve in the 10th game.

Karlovic was unable to take a chance to break in the first game of the decisive set, which ran with serve to 5-5.

Murray also found himself up against it in the 11th game but saved a break point before eventually holding.

The 19-year-old had a championship point on the Karlovic serve in game 12, but the big man held to force a decisive tie-break.

Murray claimed a vital mini-break on the second Karlovic serve, and when he secured a second to go 5-2 he served out to secure the title.

Karlovic, who dumped out second seed James Blake earlier in the competition, came into the match having hit 87 aces and won on 84 per cent of the points on his first serve against Murray.

"This was a big one, it gave me confidence. In the beginning (of the second set) maybe I was rushing my serve. I did not get my service game through," said Karlovic.

"I was a little tight (in the third set tie-break). Andy serves really well and he also runs well on his approach shots."

Karlovic, who suffered a leg injury last season, admitted he is delighted by the progress he has made in the last six months and is eying a top-30 spot by the end of the year.

Murray's brother Jamie completed a great day for the family with a 7-5 7-6 (8-6) victory alongide partner Eric Butorac in the doubles final.

The Scot and his American partner beat fourth seeds Rainer Schuettler and Chris Haggard in an one hour and 23 minutes.

Murray and Butorac saved two break points in the first set and crucially converted their only opportunity, while in the second they squandered seven before coming through the tie-break.

ANDY MURRAY FACTFILE

1987: Born May 15, Dunblane, Scotland.

1990: Starts playing tennis aged three.

1999: Wins both the 12 & under and 14 & under Junior National Championships.

February - Wins first international tournament at Auray indoor event, France.

December - Becomes only one of two British players to win a singles title at the junior Orange Bowl, Miami, USA.

2001: Wins the singles and double titles at the Under-15 British National Championships.

2002: Makes debut at Junior Wimbledon. Wins 16 & under British Grand Prix.

2003: January - Wins ITF Barranquilla, Colombia.

February - Wins doubles title with Tom Rushby at Condor de Plata, Bolivia.

May - Wins doubles and singles titles at Citta Di Prato, Italy.

June - Reaches semi-finals of doubles with Tom Rushby at Junior Wimbledon.

July - Wins doubles title with brother Jamie at the Scottish International, Edinburgh.

August - Wins the singles and reaches the final of the doubles at the Canadian Junior Open.

Semi-finalist of the US Open Junior Championships.

September - Becomes youngest British player to win a 10,000 US Dollar tournament when he triumphs in futures event in Glasgow.

November - Reaches semi-finals of singles and doubles at Mobilux Junior Open, Luxembourg.

2004: April - Travels with British Davis Cup squad in a non-playing capacity to Luxembourg.

June - Knocked out in third round at Junior Wimbledon.

Reaches final of LTA Junior International in Roehampton.

August - Wins futures event in Xativa, Spain.

Reaches semi-finals of 15,000 US dollar tournament in Vigo, Spain.

Named in British Davis Cup squad for the World Group play-off in Austria in September.

September - Becomes first British winner of the US Open boys' title, beating Ukrainian Sergei Stakhovsky 6-4 6-2.

2005: March - Becomes youngest British Davis Cup player, in match against Israel.

June - Defeats 14th seed Radek Stepanek 6-4 6-4 6-4 in one hour and 50 minutes to become first Scottish player to reach the third round at Wimbledon, where he loses to former finalist David Nalbandian in epic five-set match.

July - Wins first Challenger tour title in Aptos, California.

August - Claims second Challenger tour title at Binghampton, New York.

August - Reaches second round of the US Open after beating Andrei Pavel of Romania 6-3 3-6 3-6 6-1 6-4. Loses second-round clash against Frenchman Arnaud Clement 6-2 7-6 (7/2) 2-6 6-7 (7/4) 6-0.

October - Reaches first ATP final by beating home favourite Paradorn Srichaphan 6-7 7-5 6-2 in the Thailand Open, before losing to world number one Roger Federer.

October 3 - Moves up to 72 in the world rankings after his Thailand exploits.

October 26 - Beats British number one Tim Henman 6-2 5-7 7-6 (7-4) at the Swiss Indoors. Eventually loses to Chilean Fernando Gonzalez in the quarter-final.

November 28 - Accuses the Lawn Tennis Association of hampering older brother Jamie's tennis career.

December 6 - Named player of the year in the LTA awards.

2006: January 17 - After struggling in warm-up tournaments, he loses at the first hurdle in the Australian Open to Juan Ignacio Chela, 6-1 6-3 6-3.

February 20 - Claims first ATP Tour title when beating Lleyton Hewitt 2-6 6-1 7-6 (7-3) in SAP Open final, having also beaten Andy Roddick in the semi-finals.

February 28 - Moves above Tim Henman and Greg Rusedski in ATP world rankings to become British number one.

March - Loses in the first round of the Nasdaq-100 Open to Switzerland's Stanislas Wawrinka and suffers an ankle sprain which puts his participation in the Davis Cup tie against Serbia and Montenegro in jeopardy.

April - Suffers a bacterial infection just days before the tie in Glasgow and spends two days in bed. Advised by medical staff not to play, he is rested from the opening day's singles but partners Greg Rusedski to defeat in Saturday's doubles rubber.

Swears at umpire Adel Aref several times during the four-set loss and the BBC

are forced to apologise after the outburst is picked up on courtside microphones.

Great Britain lose the Euro Africa Zone tie 3-2.

April 14 - Announces split from coach Mark Petchey with immediate effect due to a "difference of opinion".

June - Crashes out of the first round of the Stella Artois Championships at Queen's Club to Janko Tipsarevic, and is handed a code violation for foul language.

Linked with coach Brad Gilbert, the former mentor of Andy Roddick.

July 1 - Reaches last 16 at Wimbledon with straight-sets win over Andy Roddick, following earlier successes over Nicolas Massu and Julien Benneteau.

July 3 - Suffers a disappointing straight-sets defeat on Centre Court against number 18 seed Marcos Baghdatis.

July 26 - Gilbert confirmed as Murray's new coach, as well as taking a wider role with the LTA.

August - Loses in the final of the Legg Mason Classic in Washington to Arnaud Clement, and is beaten the following week by Richard Gasquet in the semi-finals of the Toronto Masters.

August 16 - Secures superb 7-5 6-4 victory over Federer in second round of Cincinnati Masters.

September 6 - Beaten in the fourth round of the US Open by Nikolay Davydenko.

2007: January 6 - Loses in straight sets in the final of the Qatar Open in Doha to Croatian Ivan Ljubicic.

January 13 - Finishes third in the Kooyong Classic in Melbourne, beating Marat Safin in a play-off after losing to eventual winner Andy Roddick.

January 22 - Loses to Rafael Nadal in a five-set thriller in the fourth round of the Australian Open.

February 18: Wins his second ATP Tour title as he retains his SAP Open crown in San Jose with a three-set victory over unseeded Croatian Ivo Karlovic.