Raven Klaasen and Rajeev Ram might have a new favourite ATP World Tour Masters 1000 memory this weekend if they can win the BNP Paribas Open doubles title, which would be their first Masters 1000 team title. But before the veterans go for the Indian Wells crown, they talked with ATPWorldTour.com about all things Masters 1000-related, including their dream Masters 1000 title match.
Which Masters 1000 host city is your favourite and why?
Ram: For me, it's Cincinnati because it's close to where I'm from [Indiana].
Klaasen: Rome... As a city, it's pretty tough to beat Rome.
Which Masters 1000 tournament is your favourite?
Ram: Indian Wells. First of all, it's in America... which is nice for me being an American. It's a beautiful setting to play, tons of courts... Everything is usually pretty good there.
Klaasen: Indian Wells.
If you could win only one Masters 1000 title, which one would it be?
Ram: Probably Cincinnati... But Indian Wells is [up there, too].
Klaasen: Indian Wells is hard to beat. They really do a good job.
What is your favourite off-court memory?
Ram: Rome this year. My wife and I went to Rome, I had never been to Rome before... We saw the Trevi Fountain, the Colosseum, all of the things you're supposed to see in Rome we saw in one and a half days.
Klaasen: Rome is up there for me, too.
What is your best Masters 1000 win as a team?
Ram: Miami first round last year. We beat Jamie Murray and Bruno Soares. We had lost a couple matches in a row, and they were the Australian Open champs.
Klaasen: Jamie was playing for No. 1 in the world that week... We played a good match.
Which Masters 1000 tournament has the rowdiest fans?
Ram: When you're playing South Americans in Miami. One year I remember playing Ryan Harrison and Nicolas Lapentti... I was playing with another American [Eric Butorac], and they were 100 per cent against us, and not because of Harrison.
Klaasen: Miami can get like a little bit of a circus out there on centre sometimes.
What would be your dream match at a Masters 1000?
Klaasen: To beat Bob and Mike [Bryan] for a title in the U.S. somewhere would be pretty epic.
Ram: Either that or sometimes you get some of the top singles players playing in the Masters events, whether it's Rafa and another Spanish guy.
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