Simon Timson, who has worked in cricket, skeleton and has a final stint coming up at the Olympic Games with UK Sport, is the new performance director of the Lawn Tennis Association.
He replaces the interim director, Peter Keen, who made his name in cycling and advised the LTA last month he could not commit beyond his one-year appointment. He has put in a performance blueprint that Timson says he is happy to use as the basis of his own programme.
Keen’s appointment was met with scepticism from those who doubted his lack of a tennis background made him suitable for a job that has produced little in the way of tangible success in many barren decades. Timson said he understands those doubts but views his objectivity as a strength. He will start work when he returns from the Rio Olympics, having worked in a similar role with UK Sport since 2013. Before that he was involved with the England and Wales Cricket Board for six years.
“It’s been a huge privilege to lead the world-class system through the Rio cycle,” he said. “However, the opportunity to lead British Tennis’s performance programme is irresistible. I can’t wait to get started.”
The four-time Wimbledon semi-finalist and a long-time British No 1 Tim Henman, who was on the selection panel, said: “I’ve not been as excited about something in British tennis as much as this for a very long time. I can honestly say on behalf of the recruitment panel that Simon more than ticked all the boxes. He was a superb candidate and the unanimous choice.
“ He is a dynamic leader with a passion for performance sport. He will quickly immerse himself in the world of British Tennis and will lead through a collaborative approach.”
Michael Downey, the LTA chief executive, said: “After the Rio Olympic and Paralympic Games conclude, Simon will join British Tennis, hitting the ground running on 1 November with a newly approved set of guiding principles in hand, but with a lot of work to do to bring these principles to life.”
That is something of an understatement given the world No2 Andy Murray is the only British man in the top 50, with Aljaz Bedene at 55, Kyle Edmund at 68 and Dan Evans at 95. James Ward is at 177. Doubles is better served with Jamie Murray still No1 in the world, Dominic Inglot 30, Colin Fleming 50, Ken Skupski 83 and Jonny Marray 90.
The women’s game has Johanna Konta at 18, Heather Watson at 50 and Naomi Broady at 84. There is the a yawning gap Tara Moore at 229 and, coming back from injury, Laura Robson 294.
Timson is committed to improving the game from the grassroots up, but it is clear, also, there will be not be an easy ride for anyone who is not committed to the pursuit of excellence. The age of entitlement in British tennis would seem to have been buried for good – although Timson has a lot of work to do to change the culture.
To that end, he has a PhD in tennis psychology and revealed that his thesis included the study of several juniors to establish, among other aspects of their development, what induces anxiety in players under pressure. Jo Konta, for one, could probably tell him a thing or two about that subject.
