Karlovic beats Becker to reach San Jose final

SAN JOSE, California, Feb 18 (Reuters) Unseeded Croat Ivo Karlovic served his way into the final of the San Jose Open with a 7-6 7-5 victory over German Benjamin Becker.

Karlovic, the world number 103, fired down 27 aces to reach his second career ATP Tour final, where he will play either American top seed Andy Roddick or defending champion Andy Murray of Scotland.

Sixth seed Becker, who beat Marat Safin in the quarter-finals, threw his racket down in anger after losing the first-set tiebreak 7-5.

The German did not force a single break point on the Karlovic serve, and the Croat, who beat James Blake and Mardy Fish on his way to the last four, then broke in the 11th game of the second before serving out for victory.

REUTERS DH ND0956