Brydan Klein

Brydan Klein (born 31 December 1989) is an Australian-born British former professional tennis player. As a junior, Klein won the 2007 Australian Open and reached a career-high top five in the ITF junior rankings. However, Klein has struggled to make the transition onto the men's professional circuit, failing to enter the top 150 or gain entry into any Grand Slam event without being given a Wild card.

Klein competed mainly on the ATP Challenger Tour.

Junior career Klein began his professional tennis career playing on the ITF Men's Circuit in various events across Australia aged just 15. He featured sporadically on the ITF Circuit throughout 2005 and 2006, winning his first title alongside Matthew Ebden in a doubles event in Traralgon in October 2006. This resulted in Klein reaching a career high juniors ranking of no. 4. A first-round loser in Brisbane, Klein acquired his first Grand Slam victory at the Australian Open against Björn Phau 6–4, 6–3, 4–6, 6–3, before falling to Stanislas Wawrinka in straight sets in the second round. He did not lose a set during the tournament, securing the title courtesy of 6–3, 6–3 victory over Grega Žemlja in the final. He also entered the 2009 French Open, but lost in the opening qualifying round to Kevin Anderson. Klein began to play at Challenger level and on the ATP World Tour throughout 2009 to little success, although did reach a career singles high of no. 174 when he reached the last 16 during his controversial participation at the 2009 Aegon International. Klein returned to Australia, and proceeded to win two further Futures titles, both of which on clay, within the space of a week in early May that year. as well as the Challenger Banque Nationale de Granby in Granby, Quebec, Canada. Despite his extensive stay in the continent, Klein suffered a convincing 3–6, 1–6 loss to Kevin Kim in the opening qualifying round of the US Open. During the latter stages of 2010, Klein reached four straight finals in Futures tournaments in Australia and New Zealand, but lost all four. Klein had been banned from competing for a main draw wildcard for the event following "a string of on-court misdemeanours". Todd Woodbridge, Tennis Australia's director of men's tennis, stated the ban was for "numerous accounts of unacceptable behaviour at tournaments both locally and internationally". During the first three months of the year, Klein won just one main draw match from nine tournaments. The following week, he improved to reach the quarter-finals of the 2012 Caloundra International. Klein then reached the final of the Futures event in Mildura in February 2012, an event that he had previously won twice, but lost to Hiroki Moriya in three sets. Klein's fine form during the summer continued when he reached the semi-finals of the 2012 President's Cup in Astana, Kazakhstan, before losing to the eventual champion, Evgeny Donskoy. His performances throughout the year enabled him to earn a place in qualifying at the 2012 US Open, where he was defeated by Karol Beck in the second round of qualification. During the year, he won three singles titles, as well as twelve doubles titles, ending 2012 ranked at no. 241 in singles and no. 134 in doubles. The pair would go one better in early March 2013, securing their third Challenger title by beating Alex Bolt and Nick Kyrgios in the final of the 2013 Nature's Way Sydney Tennis International. The result gave Klein a career high doubles ranking of no. 118. The move followed Tennis Australia's decision to withdraw their support for Klein following a "fractured relationship" with Klein having "a very chequered history of on-court behaviours". Klein stated it was a move he had been thinking about for four years — "It was a very difficult decision and I've had it in the back of my mind for four years, but haven't wanted to go forward with it. Finally, I thought, 'Look, I'm 23, I need a new environment, I need to do something to give myself a chance to improve my game'." The move also allowed Klein to "ease the financial burden" that has meant he had to fund the previous three years of touring himself, only gaining access to a coach when he was competing in Turkey.

Six-month ban

In July 2009, Klein accepted a six-month ban from the ATP after racially abusing an opponent at a tournament in England. He used the racist term "kaffir" to describe South African player Raven Klaasen at the grasscourt event in Eastbourne. He was suspended by the Australian Institute of Sport, meaning he received no funding, coaching or fitness support during the length of his ban. He was fined $14,000 by the ATP, the maximum possible amount by the organisation, and later fined a further $10,000 following a full investigation into the incident. — "It is sad to see him continually punished for what was, in truth, one single word muttered inaudibly over 18 months ago. It was reported inaccurately then and continues to be. The way he was disciplined, you would think it was a constant, repeated offence. What pains me most is the way that, more than a year later, Brydan's indiscretion is still being dragged up again and again. He didn't actually know what the meaning of the word 'kaffir' was. He actually heard the South African players say it. He thought it was a swear word, so when he said it, he obviously had no idea what he was saying. He was only 18 years old and the other person didn't even hear it and it didn't really affect the match. I was there, sitting close to where Brydan was as humanly as possible apart from being on the court, and you couldn't hear anything. If you had been there you wouldn't have heard anything either so it's not like he was ranting or raving at his opponent, calling him names and being racist, because he's anything but. One day he will be able to tell the truth but right now he is stuck from telling the truth."

Challengers and Futures finals Singles: 33 (20–13) Legend (singles)ATP Challenger Tour (1–0)ITF Futures Tour (19–13)Titles by surfaceHard (13–10)Clay (3–0)Grass (4–3)

Doubles: 81 (48–33) Legend (doubles)ATP Challenger Tour (10–11)ITF Futures Tour (38–22)Titles by surfaceHard (36–23)Clay (7–3)Grass (4–7)Carpet (1–0)