Ace-king Karlovic pounds out third title of season in Stockholm

Karlovic, the tallest man in the game, ran his ace total for this season to 1,135. He is chasing the all-time 1,477 from Goran Ivanisevic 11 years ago.

 Along with impeccable Roger Federer, Karlovic is the only other play in the ATP to own titles on three contrasting surfaces during the campaign.

 The Croatian won Houston on clay in April and picked up a grass honour at Nottingham two months later.

 Johansson was unable to compete in a runaway third set after levelling at one apiece against the huge hitter, who went through in just under 90 minutes.

 The 55th-ranked Swede won the event in 2000 and 2004 before two titles in succession from American James Blake.

 But Johansson ended Blake's winning run in the semi-finals at the weekend, saving five match points to reach the title match leaving the American 13-1 at the venue.

 Karlovic has played four of his five career finals during this season and has risen to number 25 after flirting with a fall from the Top 100 early in the spring.

 Neither man figures in the chase for next month's eight-man Masters Cup in Shanghai.