New LTA centre in Roehampton - who will use it

Sheddie · administrator

New LTA centre in Roehampton - who will use it

Bladetiger · Pro player

I guess the LTA are hoping that if there are world class facilities in the UK fewer guys would choose to train abroad.

stevemcqueen · Futures qualifying

I think the facilities are only part of the equation. The LTA now has a couple of big name coaches, but if you are not Andy Murray or a DC squad member, you will be surrounded by coaches who over the last 20 years have taken a series of top notch juniors and failed to produce any significant players. I think many tennis analysts have known this for years, but now that Andy Murray has shown what can be achieved outside the LTA, everyone has taken notice and is voting with their feet. We need personnel who have a track record of success, and clearly we dont have this.

Also, Roehampton is putting all our eggs in one basket. The Scots should have been given investment to reward their over achievement, and perhaps a base in Spain and the north of England would have made sense.

-- Edited by stevemcqueen at 08:33, 2006-12-01

Salmon · Tennis legend

Till now the trend was to move abroad at a more mature age. These days even 11 or 12 year olds want to train abroad.

Look at today's Eddie Herr final - Jessica Ren and Laura Robson are two of our best prospects and both spent/spend a lot of time in Florida.

I don't mind it actually.

stevemcqueen wrote:

Also, Roehampton is putting all our eggs in one basket. The Scots should have been given investment to reward their over achievement, and perhaps a base in Spain and the north of England would have made sense.

-- Edited by stevemcqueen at 08:33, 2006-12-01

Interesting thought there.
Even though the LTA won't do anything like that in the near future, a base in either of the sunshine states of the US or the Mediterranean seems like a great idea to me.

Bladetiger wrote:

I guess the LTA are hoping that if there are world class facilities in the UK fewer guys would choose to train abroad.

I agree but the LTA seem pretty confused at what they are doing.

On one hand... they are saying that they are supportive of people selecting foreign bases. On the other.... they are expecting that people will choose Roehampton on a permanent bases.

Count Zero · Tennis legend

i think they are looking at roehampton for a long term basis. it may notbe too much help at the moment to the current pro's, even some of the younger pros, but possibly the next generation will start to use it.

i dont think the current players will shun it as such, i bleve boggo will use the facilities there (and maybe queens) when he is in europe for all the european events and saddlebrook for winter training and the US region events. I think lots of players will use int he same style.

Realictily how much time does andy have anyway to train very little, most of it would be on the fly at a court at a tounrment etc, whenever he got time.

Bladetiger · Pro player

I think Roehampton was signed off before Draper got in, so it might be that he thinks the money would have been better spent elsewhere.

Hopefully all these coaches we've got will be able to spend time with most of our top 15-20 guys. And also the most promising of our juniors .