Jeremy Bates is one of only six men since the Second World War to have played 20 or more Davis Cup ties for Great Britain and one of eight captains in the past three decades. For almost ten years before Tim Henman reared his head, he fought the unequal fight as Britains No 1 when progress to the worlds top 50 and the second week of a grand-slam tournament was beyond expectancys call.

Not long ago, relieved of his duties at the LTA in its most extreme night of the brown envelopes, Batess disillusion with his prospects had led him to ponder if he should quit the country altogether and he debated a manifest change of working direction. A fascination with medicine meant that he had considered training as a doctor.

But his life has always been tennis and the lure of becoming director of coaching at the Sutton Academy in Surrey four miles from Wimbledon was too good to resist. It is one of the most vibrant independents in Britain, with 1,000 children going through its doors each week, 29 courts, 25 coaches and programmes across the spectrum, from international performance, to full-time training with a personalised academic programme, to mini tennis. Bates is the new head honcho.

Now it is Batess job to help to find more who may progress to don the national colours. That means someone who used to help to decide who received the LTAs largesse is among those positioning themselves for it. And he will not be shy.

It is no good handing out chunks of money unless there is a quality control and you know people are going to deliver, because it comes down to quality coaching, quality time on the court and, most especially, quality of club structure and competition. And, lets be fair, everyone needs the LTA.