WTA player's relative banned from tour

A member of tennis player Aravane Rezai's family has been suspended from attending future WTA tournaments pending an investigation ''into a serious safety matter.''

Rezai, who has won four WTA tournaments, was born in France and lives in Switzerland, according to the WTA Tour media guide.

A WTA statement on Sunday said ''the health and well being of our players is the No. 1 priority for the WTA. A serious safety matter has been brought to the WTA's attention, which has resulted in a family member of Aravane Rezai being indefinitely suspended from all future WTA events pending our investigation.''

''In respect of the privacy of the player involved, the WTA is not in a position to comment further on the details of the matter,'' the statement said.

The 23-year-old Rezai, who was seeded 17th at the Australian Open, was beaten in the first round in three sets by Barbora Zahlavova Strycova of the Czech Republic.

The WTA media guide said Rezai is coached by her brother, Anouch, and that her fitness coach is John Cara. It also says her mother, Nouchine, is a physiotherapist who travels with her.