British players are not hungry for success, says new LTA chief Michael Downey

By MALCOLM BROWN FOR MAILONLINE

Published: 19:57 EST, 28 June 2014 | Updated: 19:57 EST, 28 June 2014

British tennis players, branded 'spoilt' by a top coach earlier in the week, have now had their hunger questioned by the new boss of the Lawn Tennis Association.

At the end of a week which saw just one player - Andy Murray - out of 11 Britons get past round two at Wimbledon, LTA chief executive Michael Downey says that is not acceptable.

Blast: New LTA Chief Executive Michael Downey

Downey was responding to withering criticism by Belgian coach Julien Hoferlin, who left the LTA this week after six years with a damning broadside aimed at the likes of British No 2 Dan Evans and Oliver Golding. Hoferlin said Evans and other top Britons were not prepared to make sacrifices, and Downey said: 'I think there's a strong message there.'

Downey, who took up his role at the start of the year having been head of Tennis Canada, appointed Australian coach Bob Brett as director of player development. He continued: 'Bob and I know our players have to be hungry. Andy Murray is hungry; Laura Robson and Heather Watson are hungry.

'We've got to make sure all the players know what it takes to exceed expectations and potentially do really well, whether it's a top 10, top 20, or top 50 player. The message is really strong and it's a good message everyone hears.'

But the message seems increasingly harder to get across as only three of the home country's challengers reached the second round.

Downey said: 'We want more players through to the second week and that's why we brought Bob in, a worldclass coach who's going to work with the best coaches, the best players and see if they can exceed expectations, because that's the key thing.

'Bob is all about attention to detail, work ethic, commitment, and that's what they're going to see.'

Watson and Naomi Broady were the other two players to reach the second round, who like Murray, developed their game outside a centralised system.