Harris and Klaasen into second round in Australian Open men's doubles

The dynamic duo needed just over two hours to defeat Pedro Martinez and Thiago Monteiro 7-6(5), 7-6(9) in an entertaining affair on the hard courts of Melbourne Park.

Martinez and Monteiro had the upper hand late in the opening set, earning two set points in a tense game that went to deuce five times, but the South Africans saved the two break points and forced a tiebreaker. They controlled the tiebreaker nicely to take a set lead.

It was then Martinez and Monteiro's turn to be on the back foot late in the second set, as they fought impressively to stave off two match points at 4-5 and 15/40 down.

The momentum swung the other way in the ensuing tiebreak, with Harris and Klassen saving two set points before winning the final three points that included one sizzling forehand winner to close out the match.

The South Africans will meet either the ninth-seeded Italian pair Fabio Fognini and Simonne Bolleli or opponents Sadio Doumbia and Fabian Reboul in the second round Down Under.