Davis Cup captain Lloyd slams LTA

Former Davis Cup captain David Lloyd is willing to walk away from his development of young British talent over a cash row with the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA).

Lloyd has been left furious after the LTA, the governing body of British tennis, allegedly failed to meet his demands for funding three academies he helped to launch and run.

And in what may prove a parting shot, the 61-year-old has blasted the way in which promising youngsters are nurtured in Britain.

"I've never given up on anything in my life, but I cannot stay in tennis in Britain," he told The Times.

"This the saddest decision I have had to make, but what is happening is a real disgrace."

Lloyd added: "Talent is a very special thing and when you recognise a talent the boundaries must be limitless and whatever you need to invest to help that talent reach its maturity cannot be constrained.

"The current LTA rules and regulations are impossible to work in. It is like having a communist state in a capitalist world. No business in the world I've come across works the way the LTA does.

"Think about it, not one player who has made anything of himself in the past 20 years has come through the LTA system - not Tim Henman, not Greg Rusedski and not Andy Murray. So what is it that makes them so sure they know everything?

"In the end, I couldn't beat them, it is impossible to beat them. The only way it will change is if the British public rises up, realises what is happening and gets rid of them."

The LTA told the Times that they were unaware of Lloyd's intention to step away from British tennis and claimed funding negotiations were ongoing.