The state of British tennis is not a geographical place but an island of despond for those weary of serial failure, and wet, grey Paris has provided a suitable miserable backdrop to another calamitous French Open campaign.
However, Jamie Murray, never one to panic on court and invariably considered in his judgments away from it, provided qualified comfort for the nation’s favourite sporting target as he moved into the second round of the doubles with Neal Skupski.
Speaking after six compatriots in the singles draws – including his brother, Andy – had packed their bags after one round, Murray wondered if the Lawn Tennis Association’s funding programme for players will deliver long-term results, questioned whether the randomness of the bonus scheme is fair and is not enamoured of continued change on the performance side.
Against that, however, he argues against a kneejerk urge for change, and he believes Scott Lloyd, who took over as chief executive of the LTA from Michael Downey in January 2018, might be the person to turn things around if given a chance. “I’ve spoken to Scott a few times about things,” Murray said. “I think he is doing a good job. But, again, it’s difficult to judge him on two, three years in the job. Hopefully, what he is putting in place now, again if it’s seen through, you will see rewards in five, six, seven, 10 years’ time.
“He might leave the job in a couple of years and what he has done, you don’t see it because you don’t see a new player in the top 10, or whatever, or participation is not up loads and loads. So people think he has done a crap job, and it’s ‘get the next person in and we will try him’. But he would have his ideas again.
“For me, that’s the biggest issue with it all. I really hope he is doing a good job. I like talking to him about British tennis and what is going on. He really cares, which is a huge thing. Hopefully, we will start to see the fruits of his labour and what he is putting in place.”
However, Murray has wider reservations. “The mentality was: ‘We’re going to really, really back the few and give them big support’ – for, I don’t know, three to five years, perhaps? – then not much for anyone else. There’s the bonus scheme, but I don’t think that really helps other guys that much.
“Personally, I don’t agree with that. The margins are so small in tennis to decide: ‘You’re going to get £70,000 a year and I’m going to get nothing,’ but actually the difference could be so marginal. And, at the end of the day, it’s someone’s opinion as to who gets the funding.”
As for the LTA’s academies, Murray sees room for improvement there, too. “I think it’s very difficult for you to tell me that this 13-year-old kid is going to be a great player and my 13-year-old kid is not going to be a player. How can you tell me who is going to be a success at that age in the senior game?”
He adds: “[But] let’s get behind it and hopefully they have got the right people running these academies to get the best out of these kids. The most important thing is making sure that they have the right people because, if not, it’s a massive waste of money.”
These might be important but arcane issues in tennis that pass by most casual fans. What disinterested parties can see, though, is few players beyond Andy Murray standing tall on the world stage for any length of time. As a with a Rafael Nadal top-spun winner on the damp and heavy clay of Roland Garros, images leave a lingering impression in tennis.

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