HENMAN TO CHOOSE NEW LTA SUPREMO
TIM HENMAN is to be brought in by the Lawn Tennis Association to help make the key appointment designed to improve Britain’s fortunes on the game’s world stage. In a new departure for the biggest name in British tennis after Andy Murray, Henman will act as a consultant for the beleaguered governing body as they try to find an overall performance director. The former world No 4 will provide muchneeded expertise after the debacle over Australian Bob Brett, who left a month ago after less than a year in effectively the same role. It is a fascinating move for Henman, 40, who after his retirement in 2007 took a complete break from the sport. He has since become a senior figure in the management of the Wimbledon Championships, but until now has largely resisted the urge to get involved with the LTA and all its whirling currents. He has continued to play some seniors’ tennis events and is very respected by Murray, who is known to be concerned about what has been happening at the governing body, where increasing participation has become the priority. There are said to have been around 50 applicants — including from overseas — for the prestigious and doubtless well-paid role, and a shortlist will soon be drawn up. At the request of chairman David Gregson and chief executive Michael Downey, Henman is expected to help sift through realistic candidates and analyse them in interviews. His experience at tennis’s highest level and ability to ask the right questions will be vital given the dearth of elite tennis knowledge at the top of the LTA. After two years in his job, the credibility of Downey — wearing thin among senior figures in the British game — has taken a hit after his blunder over Brett. The veteran Australian coach was not suited to an administrative role as director of player development. His appointment meant not only a wasted year and loss of morale in the department, but more than £500,000 in costs. The big debate is whether to hire someone from the tennis world or another sport. The latter option is said to be favoured and Peter Keen, former performance director of British Cycling, is a frontrunner. It is not yet known where Henman stands on the ‘outsider’ principle. Any newcomer would have to get to grips with the differences between tennis and sports involving less complex technical skill, while team selection is a much smaller part of an elite tennis player’s development, making it harder to exert control over players. It is hoped that the position will be filled for next year.