South Essex tennis clubs met with Essex LTA chiefs on Wednesday evening to discuss club strategies for the future.

Everything from coaching, finance to court resurfacing is to be reviewed as part of a drive to boost the game at the grass roots.

The move follows call from LTA chiefs for a shake-up of tennis at club level following Britain's Davis Cup defeat at the hands of Ecuador at the weekend.

LTA director of performance Patrice Hagelauer spoke on Tuesday of the need for clubs to produce the raw material which can then be coached to international standards.

One Essex tennis veteran said everything comes down to the clubs and how they take the LTA initiative up.

Yet one club chief said he felt the LTA were using grass roots tennis as a scapegoat for the sport's current state at international level.

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