JUDY MURRAY RESIGNS AS CAPTAIN OF AEGON GREAT BRITAIN FED CUP TENNIS TEAM

Written by: Staff on 15th March 2016

JUDY MURRAY RESIGNS AS CAPTAIN OF AEGON GREAT BRITAIN FED CUP TENNIS TEAM

epa04035827 Andy Murray's mother Judy Murray watches the quarter final match between Britain's Murray and Roger Federer of Switzerland at the Australian Open Grand Slam tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia, 22 January 2014. EPA/JOE CASTRO AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND OUT |

Following five years at the helm of the Aegon GB Fed Cup Team, Judy Murray has confirmed today she has resigned her post as team captain.

Speaking on the announcement Judy Murray said: “I’m stepping down as Aegon GB Fed Cup captain to spend more time with my family and to focus on my grass roots programmes, ‘Tennis on the Road’ and ‘Miss-Hits’. Tennis on the Road is aimed at building a delivery workforce across Scotland in order to grow participation, while Miss Hits is a fun starter programme for girls age 5-8 that can be delivered by female coaches and teachers.

I’ve loved the challenge of leading the team over the past five years, raising the profile of the event, our players and women’s tennis in this country. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank all the players, support staff and the fans for their commitment to the team over the years.

It’s a big regret for me that we didn’t make it to the World Group, but what we have now is a pool of players capable of competing at that level. We just need them all to be available and fit to play at the same time.

The Fed Cup format is in desperate need of a revamp. Team competition engages players and fans much more than individual events. It’s crucial we use this global competition as a means of attracting and retaining girls in competitive tennis at every level. That requires more countries to have the opportunity of playing home and away ties so we can showcase our sport. The GB team has been stuck in the 16-team Euro- Africa Zone for an eternity.

We play four countries in four successive days in February and only two teams qualify for a playoff opportunity to progress to the World Group. If you don’t make the play off, there’s nothing until the following February making it impossible to build any momentum on or off the court.

The Fed Cup should be leading the way in promoting and showcasing competitive women’s team tennis at all levels and in all countries. Things have got to change.

Everyone can see the buzz created around the home ties and team tennis at all stages of the Davis Cup.‎ Fed Cup should be afforded a similar format.”

The LTA’s Chief Executive, Michael Downey added: “British Tennis and our players have been fortunate in having a captain possessing Judy’s unique tennis knowledge, passion for the game, and sense of fun steering our Fed Cup campaign for the last five years. No doubt she has left an indelible mark on all the players she has worked with on the team, the support staff and inspiring other GB female coaches along that journey. On behalf of British Tennis, I would also like to personally thank Judy for her commitment.

In terms of next steps, we will begin an open recruitment process shortly and aim to announce a successor well before the end of the year and 2017’s February Fed Cup tie.”

10sBalls_com Is so proud Of Judy and all her efforts over her lifetime to teach and promote tennis in Great Britain. She is truly the GODMOTHER of Tennis and now a Grandmother. In 2015 at Royal Albert Hall we honored Her With The Coach The Year Award! As Always We Wish Her Well!