Find us a tennis champion

They are wild about playing, having seen the impact the Williams sisters had on the game during Wimbledon fortnight.

British tennis is in urgent need of a lift following the abject surrender to Ecuador in the Davis Cup and the failure to get anyone into the quarter-finals at Wimbledon.

Crisis rather than celebration is on the agenda. The state of British tennis is under debate again and heads are rolling.

But right now the exploits of Venus and Serena Williams are enough to keep Katie, ten, and Jessica, 11, both from St Mary's Hall, happy.

Katie, a member of the Henfield, Cross in Hand and Crawley clubs, is No.1 in Sussex for her age and ranked in he national top 16.

She said: "I watched Venus and her sister Serena at Wimbledon and it was fantastic. I've had to work hard to do what I've done in tennis so far and they are an inspiration because they have worked hard as well. It's given me extra motivation because I want to play at Wimbledon one day "

Jessica, a member at Badgers Club, Brighton, is a relative beginner who is tipped for the Sussex squad by her coach Wendy Shaw. She said: "Venus is my favourite player, she has strong shots, is very athletic and smiles a lot. I was really pleased she won. Watching her win made me think I'd like to be like that."

Hundreds of players flooded into clubs across the county to take part in the national Play Tennis 2000 initiative last week, many wielding a racquet for the first time and buoyed by Williams fever.

Sussex LTA performance officer Tony Clark, who is also a coach, said: "To have Venus and Serena come to Sussex as part of the proposed LTA initiative would be fantastic They are great role models, well-rounded individuals who are proof you don't have to come from a rich background to make it in sport."

But he knows it needs more than a promotion campaign to satisfy the critics and produce champions.

Revolution is in the air. Tim Henman called for change and Richard Lewis has been replaced by Patrice Hagelauer as LTA supremo.

Pledges have been made among the powers-that-be, leaving county bodies such as the Sussex LTA with the responsibility of imple-

menting Hagelauer's vision for a successful future through clubs, schools and communities.

It is a challenge to help the likes of Katie and Jessica develop their potential and Sussex say they have picked up the gauntlet.

The county have been busy increasing the number of players by encouraging clubs to set up competitive junior programmes and improving links between clubs, schools and communities, like at Angmering.

They go into schools in urban areas, like Coldean primary in Brighton, which runs an after-school club. Mini tennis sessions for five to eight year-olds have been started, from Stanley Deason Centre, Brighton, to St Bede's Preparatory in Eastbourne. Investment has gone into primary schools in Hastings. There's a community tennis partnership in Crawley where there is talk of more facilities being built.

"We've got to break the conception that tennis is a middle class game, it's for everyone," said Nicky Salmon, Brighton's tennis development officer. "I've started up initiative3s that include making it more accessible and keeping prices lower."

The county have set up a squad for youngsters aged between eight and 11, a cornerstone of Hagelauer's blueprint, which includes six players each granted £1,500 and given expert training in their home environment. It's a similar system to the one the Williams' thrived on in their Los Angeles ghetto with the backing of the United States Association.

Clark said: "The USTA wanted the Williams to develop in their own enviroment and have a normal upbringing with family and friends around. This is what the squad we have set up is attempting to do. From it they can join a regional squad and then be helped with the transition from junior to senior tennis."

Tom Brady is a product of the Cliff Richard Trail which discovered him by going into several Sussex state schools. He is now coached by former Wimbledon star Julie Salmon, who is based at Falmer, with the Trail picking up the tab.

She said: 'He is athletic and has a good attitude and making progress."

Clubs, known more for their social than competitive strengths in the past, must help supply the raw material.

Helen Windwood, the South East Region development manager from Horsham, said: "There are about 73 to 76 LTA-affiliated clubs in the county and the majority are listening to what we are saying and acting on it.

"We will give as much help, advice and funding to help as many players, coaches clubs, schools and communities as we can.

"There are a lot of people in development offices, schools and clubs trying to sell a great game. It's not easy. There's a lot of competition.

"But things are getting better. People talk about the need for changes. There has been vast changes in the last ten years for the good and they'll be more."

But what about a champion?

"What do you judge success by? I judge the fact 60 kids turned up to play tennis for free at Horsham in the Play Tennis 2000 scheme last week a success. I judge the fact as many as 86 youngsters played a competition in Lancing at last week a success. These are steps in the right direction."

Wimbledon's millions have been poured into finding a British champion but still, beyond Henman and Greg Rusedski, the well is dry.

Independent coach Damien Fuller, based at Cross In Hand, Heathfield, has his own ideas on what changes need implementing. The South Coast Tennis director, who coaches several Sussex junior champions, said: "British tennis needs a complete overhaul. Richard Lewis shouldn't be the only scapegoat. I'd like to know where all the money the LTA get from Wimbledon goes and see less jobs for the boys.

"I'm sorry to say it but I'm pleased Britain lost to Ecuador because it is provoking a shake up.

"The fact one of my young squad players Jordan Freitas, from Eastbourne, only narrowly lost 6-2, 7-6 to Giovanni Lapentti, who beat Arvind Parmar in the deciding rubber against Ecuador, in the second round of Junior Wimbledon shows you the level we are at."

Hagelauer believes the welter of negativism is stifling the growth of confidence in the game. He has a track record, reviving French tennis and coaching Yannick Noah and Henri Leconte, and should be given a chance to get it right.

The only way for that to happen is for him to be given total freedom to appoint the coaches and set up the general structure he wants.

Those in Sussex clearly support him and Katie, Jessica, Tom and many others may have cause to thank the genial Frenchman when they grow up.