Actually, I think Gary has hit on one of the major issues with elite tennis in this country.  We have one of the wealthiest and best resourced associations in the world and indeed they are generous with their cash at the elite end, but this generosity is spread amongst very few players who want for nothing.  The same with their other resources including advice - those receiving the cash have experts to support them at every turn but any other player asking for help faces a blank wall.  

The LTA identifies players very young and sticks with them.  Even though there has been widespread low level funding of lots of juniors in the past few years (now reined in), only very few have had more than token support and they are the ones who are supported well throughout their tennis life.  The ones who get picked for the overseas trips as 12 yo kids, and who have their tournament schedules planned and subsidised by the LTA will be the same ones enjoying the full support of the LTA until the end of their tennis life.

I think the LTA is missing a huge opportunity to broaden the depth of British tennis, not by restricting funding (it is possible that the best way to get a player to the very top is to put everything into them) but by restricting access to advice and resources.  Many of our players just leaving the juniors or ploughing through the mid range rankings would benefit from LTA input on scheduling, fitness, nutrition, professionalism, occasional contact with the coaching staff etc.  There is a wealth of resources and expertise at the NTC which is denied to all but those on the highest level of funding.  I often smile when I read comments on here wondering why the LTA has scheduled players to be in different parts of the world,or why they don't send a group of them to the tournaments in country X.  Believe me, if you don't train at the NTC or with an LTA appointed coach you are on your own in every sense of the word - such a player will have zero access to any advice or support from the LTA.  Sure, this support (again stressing I'm not talking finances here) is not going to turn these players into Laura or Andy, but it could well turn them into Joanna or James W.