Judy Murray Speaks Out About The L.T.A.

Written by: Bob Larson Tennis on 30th September 2013

Judy Murray Speaks Out About The L.T.A.

epa03779760 Andy Murray of Britain finds his mother Judy after defeating Novak Djokovic of Serbia in the men's final for the Wimbledon Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis Club, in London, Britain, 07 July 2013. EPA/KERIM OKTEN |

Although the Lawn Tennis Association chairman of the board, David Grigson insists Canadian Michael Downey was the unanimous choice as the new chief executive to lead British tennis, Judy Murray – mother of Andy and arguably even more prominent in the United Kingdom’s tennis perception than her Wimbledon winning son – maintains she was offered the chance to be the new chief .

Downey will not take charge until early January next year as he is contracted to Tennis Canada until the end of December and Mrs. Murray, Britain’s Fed Cup captain and more than happy to appear on any television show, used a guest slot alongside Boris Becker on the BT Sport channel, that she would ‘rather die’ than fill the post, regardless of its’ bonus enhanced £300,000 a year post.

Murray said: “I was asked if I was interested and I think I said I’d rather die. He [Downey] obviously knows the game very well on both the participation and the performance side, which is very important. He has a unique opportunity just now because tennis is buzzing after all the excitement about what has happened over the last 12 months or so.’

But the 54 year-old Scot will certainly have the platform to air her views on which was British tennis should move forward as Downey, admitted that he would be consulting the Murray family; Judy, Andy and brother Jamie who yesterday won the Thailand Open doubles title alongside Australian John Peers.

Andy has attacked the LTA in the past for showering no-hopers with money and creating a culture of dependency. Earlier this year he urged the organization to choose a British chief executive, expressing his support for Chris Kermode, tournament director of the Aegon Championships at London Queen’s Club and tournament manager of the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals at the London 02 Arena.

Downey said: “Hopefully, Andy will give me a forum. I’ll sure want one because he is so important to the sport in this country. I will want Andy’s observations very much and I’ve got to listen to them because they’re coming from the most important tennis player in this country.

“He has been around the world and seen different things, and that global experience is going to be valuable coming back into Britain. He’s going to have some good comments and I may not agree with all of them, but I sure want him to give them to me.”

Downey and Judy Murray had already met before he was approached about the LTA job by headhunters Odgers Berndtson, commissioned to find a successor to Roger Draper. “She was in the same hotel as me at the 2012 US Open when Andy won the title,” recalled Downey. “I introduced myself and said: ‘I really want Andy to win’. Then this year we were taking the bus to the US Open and I sat next to her and gave her my business card, so hopefully she has that somewhere.”

Draper finally cleared his desk and stood down at CEO over the weekend and former British player Barry Cowan, now a member of the Sky Sports commentary team, issued a mixed send off when he said: “In the seven years Roger has been there, he tried to do what he thought was best, but ultimately he failed. When he came in the blueprint was about winning and although Andy Murray is an incredible player, I feel he would have come through whatever, but the participation failed.

“It’s what’s always been crying out, the LTA is responsible for growing the sport, developing the grassroots area and making it more acceptable and affordable. I’m not sure that’s been the priority.”

Speaking on BBC Radio, Cowan then turned his attention to Downey’s appointment: “I would have preferred a British person,” he said. “The advantage of having a British person is it doesn’t take a year or two to get to know the British system.

“However there is an advantage of being an outsider because you can come in with a blank sheet of paper. But he needs to have the right people in his ear, with the best interests of not just the LTA, but British tennis.”

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