NOTTINGHAM, England (AFP) - Big-serving Croatian Ivo Karlovic clinched his second successive Nottingham Open title on Saturday with a 7-5, 6-7 (4/7), 7-6 (10/8) victory over Spain's Fernando Verdasco.

Bad weather throughout the day meant the final had to be played indoors instead of on grass, and it was the giant Croatian who triumphed after nearly two-and-a-half hours.

Karlovic missed two set points at 4-5 but Verdasco was only delaying the inevitable as a double fault gave the fourth seed the first set.

There were no breaks in the second set and a single point against the serve in the tie-break allowed Verdasco to pull level.

Karlovic looked on course for victory when he broke the Spaniard in the seventh game of the decider, but for once his big serve let him down as a double fault allowed Verdasco to level up.

Both players had seen match points come and go in the crucial tie-break before a double fault from third seed Verdasco gave Karlovic a golden chance, and he made no mistake, sealing victory with a calm volley.

It was Karlovic's fourth career title.

"I was preparing for this week, so I'm really pleased that I won here. It was a little bit weird because it was indoors," said Karlovic.

"Normally you expect in the final the biggest crowds, so it was a little bit unusual, but I'm happy that I won. It was really difficult, he was playing really well and in the end it was all about one or two points. It was a close match."

Verdasco added: "Tennis is like this. I know that if he had hit a double fault or I had made a lucky return in the tie-break the match was mine. But I was unlucky. I tried everything and only by one point did he beat me."