Aravane Rezai's lawsuit against father: Was it due to political or cultural pressures?
Tennis Now reports that the 24-year-old Iranian-French tennis player Aravane Rezai has filed a lawsuit in France against her father, Arsalan, accusing him of `"harassment, intentional violence and death threats."
It is known that financial tensions have been an issue for the Rezai family, but it is now the cultural and political tensions that seem to be prompting Aravane's complaint. For example, last year, she showed reluctance to requests by her father and Iranian government to join Iranian tennis team, which requires women to play in fully covered uncomfortable Islamic outfits. Aravane seems to be seeking independence from her controlling father who was banned from the Australian Open earlier this year after an on-court shouting match and altercation with Aravane over her boyfriend. The embarrassing moment and other constant pressures by her father, have prompted Aravane to seek legal action.
Arsalan Rezai, whose hard work ethics and persistence was instrumental in Aravane's career, and is now a member of her coaching team, seems to have a history of short temper, conservative beliefs and close ties with Iranian politics. He was accused of pressuring Aravane to appear in head cover (Hijab) in a pro-Ahmadinejad TV commercial in last Iranian election. The senior Rezai, in a series of interviews with Iranian media, is in a complete denial about the accusations and instead blames "scavengers" and "bad influences" around his daughter for her problems. Among the "bad influences" Rezai cites Mansour Bahrami another famed Iranian-French tennis player who has tried to mediate between Aravane and her father.
The family disputes and legal issues seem to be taking a toll on Aravane who owns four career titles, including 2010 Madrid Open, but has dropped from No. 52 in WTA rankings to No. 61 in less than a year. He lost early in both her recent matches in French Open and Wimbeldon.
