Raonic defends title

In fact,Raonic has lost serve only twice in two years at the San Jose tournament. I think I served pretty flawlessly throughout the week, the 21-year-old Raonic said. I feel like Im a much better tennis player than I was last year.

Raonic claimed the first set 7-3 in the tie-breaker after all 12 games went with serve to force the decider. The world number 32 cashed both his break point chances in the second set to finish off a 79-minute victory in his first career clash against Istomin.

Istomin,hoping to become the first player to win his maiden ATP crown this year,had no answer for Raonics booming serve in his second tour final,following a runner-up showing in New Haven in 2010.

I won just four points on his serve,which makes it very difficult to win the match, said Istomin,ranked 61st in the world. I knew beforehand that he was a great server and a good player.

Raonic,who fired 20 aces in beating American Ryan Harrison by the same 7-6 6-2 scoreline in the semi-finals,won 90 per cent of his first service points and 94 per cent on second serve against Istomin and did not face a break point in the match.

Istomin advanced to the final by ousting fifth-seeded Frenchman Julien Benneteau 6-3 6-7 6-3 in the semi-finals. He had earlier beaten Andy Roddick in the league stages.