WHY TENNIS IS A SHAMBLES AND CAN'T PRODUCE THE NEXT HEWITT OR RAFTER

Earl John
December 24, 2006

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AUSTRALIAN tennis is in crisis and must make dramatic changes if it wants to find the next generation of champions, say 
former Davis Cup greats.

Jason Stoltenberg has revealed he quit as head coach at Tennis Australia's National High Performance Academy in October 
because he was disillusioned and worried the measures being implemented to produce our next champion were doomed.

The former Davis Cup and world top-20 player who coached Lleyton Hewitt says he has lost respect for some officials and 
doubts key members of the Tennis Australia regime that swept in 18 months ago understand what it takes to reach the elite 
level.

"I approached [development] like I was training for the [ATP] Tour and they approached it like they were training for 
college," Stoltenberg said.

"The uncomfortable thing for them was that I wasn't prepared to compromise my beliefs and knowledge on what it takes to 
succeed on the tour. I wasn't prepared to just lie down for the sake of keeping the job. I stood up for what I believed in 
and, quite simply, for what was initially agreed to.

"There were a lot of promises made to people - me included - just to get them on board. Once on board and it came to 
fulfilling those promises there were all sorts of excuses."

Stoltenberg nominated Jess Moore and Isabella Holland, Bernard Tomic and Brydan Klein as the standouts of a talented group 
of 14- to 16-year-olds, but doubted his faith and optimism were shared.

"If kids have got people behind them who believe in them and give them the right direction they'll work hard for you, but 
unfortunately we're pointing the finger a bit too much at the kids, like 'we don't have the athletes, we don't have enough 
of them'.

"I think what we have to do is spend more time converting the ones that we do have, because we actually do have good kids 
now."

Stoltenberg's departure was a "red flag" alert, said former doubles great Mark Woodforde, who has lamented what he 
considers the lack of on-court roles being offered to ex-Davis Cup regulars such as Todd Woodbridge, Sandon Stolle and 
Richard Fromberg.

As Australia adjusts to the reality of just one man (Hewitt) and two women (Sam Stosur and Nicole Pratt) among the top 100 
in the year-end singles rankings, former top-100 players Woodforde, Stoltenberg, Stolle and Michael Tebbutt are among those 
querying the limited involvement of past players.

"For Stolts to step out of it within 12 months, obviously there's something there," Woodforde said. "I don't know the full 
picture, but to me it raises a red flag. He's the type of guy we should have in there. I'm a big believer of having past 
players involved in the evolution of our next generation."

Woodforde said he had been largely uninvolved since his two-year stint as Fed Cup coach ended in 2004. And he has looked on 
as Woodbridge was replaced by former journeyman player Roger Rasheed as Davis Cup coach for the September semi-final.

"I still don't know the background of what happened with Todd and Davis Cup, but how does that happen? How, all of a 
sudden, does Lleyton Hewitt's coach move into that position?

"I'm not in any way disparaging Roger Rasheed, but you can't tell me that he knows about playing Davis Cup and winning all 
these major titles more than Todd Woodbridge does."

Player development director Craig Tiley said Tennis Australia was always looking to involve former players. He said at 
least 10 were on the books, including Tony Roche, Paul Kilderry, Nicole Bradtke and Wally Masur.