INDIAN WELLS, CA - MARCH 18: Raven Klaasen of South Africa and Rajeev Ram of the United States celebrate match point against Lukasz Kubot of Poland and Marcelo Melo of Brazil in the men's doubles final during day thirteen of the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells Tennis Garden on March 18, 2017 in Indian Wells, California. Clive Brunskill/Getty Images/AFP
Fighting back from a set down in the final, South African doubles specialist Raven Klaasen earned the second Masters title of his career in the early hours of Sunday morning (SA time) at Indian Wells in California.
Klaasen joined American Rajeev Ram in securing a 6-7 6-4(8) victory over the South African player’s former partner, Marcelo Melo of Brazil, and Lukasz Kubot of Poland in the trophy decider.
In his only previous win at a Masters tournament, the 34-year-old Klaasen had lifted the Shanghai Masters crown with Melo in October 2015.
It was a maiden Masters title for 33-year-old Ram, the Olympic mixed doubles silver medallist.
The duo were set to turn out at the Miami Open starting on Monday, aiming for another Masters crown after reaching the final at the event last year.