U.K.'s Lawn Tennis Association To Cut Funding To Aspiring Players

Funding for "up-and-coming British tennis players is to be severely cut in an attempt to develop more players who can survive in the world's top 100," according to Russell Fuller of the BBC. The Lawn Tennis Association will "phase out existing levels of support over the next year, giving players who lose out significantly a chance to adjust to their new financial means." Funding will "only be offered to those competitive with the world's best." Coaches "rather than cash will be the LTA's main currency in future." Funding for elite players had "already been reduced" from £12M ($19M) to £10M ($15.7M) for '14, and "could only be claimed by players under 24 who agreed to pay back 20% of the prize money they earned." The pace of reform has, "however, been speeded up dramatically." The LTA's new director of player development, Bob Brett, is "investing a lot of time in developing a network of British coaches." But one concern, "by his own admission, is the talent pool is not yet deep enough" (BBC, 12/11).