Tuesday 28 July 2015 21:07, UK
After Bob Brett resigned as director of player development at the Lawn Tennis Association, the future of British tennis is looking a little bleak.
The Australian was appointed last year to improve players and coaches up and down the country, and after a short spell in the role, it would seem Brett is not the man to revive the game after all.
Veteran Brett, who had worked with a range of Grand Slam champions from Boris Becker and Goran Ivanisevic to Marin Cilic, was seen as a success during a seven-year stint alongside LTA chief executive Michael Downey at Tennis Canada, but they have not been able to replicate their achievements in Britain.
Brett was seen as a keen advocate of a tough zero-tolerance policy including individual ambition and enterprise and one in which the idea of funding was slashed apart from those with outstanding prospects. But he will now leave his role after only 13 months.
Downey will now lead the senior high performance tennis staff in the interim until a successor to Brett is appointed and despite the uncertainty he remains adamant they are making positive progress.
Marcus Buckland visited Lensbury Tennis Club in south west London before the announcement of Brett's departure.
The Sky Sports tennis presenter questioned a number of high profile names including Judy Murray, Greg Rusedski and LTA chief Downey on the future of British tennis.
The need to lower the competitive nature and bringing the element of fun back into the sport were two key aspects all three seem united on – a polar opposite of Brett's ideology.
"I think (the standard of the game) is quite healthy, but it doesn't mean it can't improve" Downey said. "I think we've got 60,000 kids under the age of 18 who are regularly competing at junior level so the number is quite good but with anything there needs to be an evolution in terms of making sure the tournaments are better and there's a recreational stream for young kids as well.
"We want to make sure those 60,000 regular competing juniors stay in the game, that they continue with this game into adulthood - that is just as important."
Fed Cup captain Judy Murray believes tennis has become more popular in the mainstream due to the success of her son Andy over the past few years and is now more accessible to more and more families.
"It's in the public eye almost every week. There is so much tennis on television, it's in the back pages, so I think there's a real buzz about tennis. I think it's really important that we capitalise on that to get more people playing.
"The way to get to new markets is to create public facilities that are accessible and affordable in areas where they currently don't exist.
"I think our competition is too serious, too soon, and we need to bring the fun back into it. We need a lot more doubles competitions, we need more team competitions. We need more recreational competitions.
"With the advent of ratings and rankings at under 10 level, it's become very serious which can create a very pressurised environment, not just for the kids, but for parents as well."
Murray agrees with Downey's assessment for more recreational tournaments for youngsters who want to play, but don't want to compete too seriously and regularly.
"It's a hugely positive step," she said. "It will take time to get that in place but it's definitely the way to go because we need more kids competing and enjoying competing to give us a bigger pool to pick from because it's not every child that can get up to national or international level.
"For us to become a very powerful tennis nation, it's about the number of people playing and the numbers that are competing regularly at recreational level. By that I mean at clubs, at schools and county level."
The problem most parents face is extremely high costs when it comes to competition level and former world No 4 Rusedski admits it can be a challenge when it comes to financial demands of the sport.
"I think there are sacrifices," said Rusedski, who has worked for the LTA. "You need help, there's no question about it, but also if you don't get the help, there has to be a massive drive or try to find a way to get it done. Unfortunately, that's one aspect we need to keep improving on and make it easier for people as well."
But the 1997 US Open finalist also feels bright days beckon for British tennis, adding: "We're getting into more schools, into the parks, into the clubs in all areas around the country and that's important. We need to get participation up. Whether you're three or 83 - get involved!"
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