Aussie Klein banned for race slur

Klein is currently ranked 186 in the world

Australian Brydan Klein will undergo a racial sensitivity course after accepting a six-month ban from the ATP Tour for racially abusing an opponent.

The 19-year-old was suspended and fined $10,000 (£6,200) for the slur against South African Raven Klaasen during a match in Eastbourne on 13 June.

"I sincerely regret my error in judgment and I am deeply sorry for the offence caused," said Klein.

"I accept the ATP's ruling and am now looking to put the incident behind me."

Klein's suspension from the ATP World Tour and Challenger events is for six months, although two months of that will be served in probation should he successfully complete the racial sensitivity course.

I plan to do everything I can to grow as a person and later as a tennis player by improving myself both off and on the court over the next four months Brydan Klein

The suspension begins on 20 July, leaving the former Australian Open junior champion free to contest an ATP Challenger Tour event in Manchester next week.

"I am determined to learn from this mistake," said Klein, who made his Davis Cup debut for Australia in March. "I plan to do everything I can to grow as a person and later as a tennis player by improving myself both off and on the court over the next four months."

Klein, currently ranked number 186 in the world, was found guilty of aggravated behaviour under the ATP Code of Conduct.

"The incident was deemed to have been 'behaviour that is flagrant and particularly injurious to the success of a tournament or is singularly egregious,'" said the ATP in a statement.

The ATP also said that Klein had been fined $14,000 (£8,600) for his comment during his qualifying match with Klaasen at the Aegon International grass-court tournament.