Sports Letters: Court the talent

Sir: I returned last week from an international student tennis tournament in the Netherlands, to discover that Britain had been humiliated by Portugal in the Davis Cup. In the Netherlands, I met Hungarians, Italians, Polish, Lithuanians, Germans, and Dutchmen who couldn't understand the low standard of British tennis. I noted also, that the facilities, coaching and general enthusiasm to play, all far outreached Britain.

I was also fortunate enough to see the Davis Cup tie in Eindhoven between the Dutch and Belgium, again an eye-opener in revealing differences between the Continent's approach to tennis, and Britain's. In Eindhoven, our group were treated as friends and there was a complete lack of formality or stuffiness, negative qualities that pervade our game, and which surely put our youth off taking up tennis.

We need to create an open, informal atmosphere around tennis, to emulate the Dutch, and inspire genuine enthusiasm for the game. Many excuses have been made for British failure, but I simply do not believe that there is not natural talent waiting to be tapped. Facilities and coaching are simply not good enough. Nations such as the Netherlands suffer the same climate as us, yet indoor facilities are plentiful, and importantly, accessible for everyone.

Tony Pickard offered to help British tennis, an offer that comes from the most successful British coach by far. Instead, we have resignations, chaos, low morale, and the prospect of a fight to avoid Davis Cup relegation.

The many nationalities I met are all greatly puzzled by Britain's lack of success. I feel we should ignore pride, directly copy the productive systems of other successful nations (even with a climate as dour as ours) and I genuinely feel that a steady stream of players can be found.

Natural talent is being wasted amid the 'ties and blazers' of the arrogant LTA. Let's change the structure, let's change the atmosphere, and natural talent can only blossom.

Yours,

TOM GORDON

Clifton, Bristol