|  | By Jonathan Overend
BBC Sport tennis commentator |
David Felgate breezed into Queens Club, open-collared and confident, brimming with ideas, enthusiasm and honest assessments.
In other words, the breath of fresh air British tennis has been crying out for.
At his debut press conference as performance director for the Lawn Tennis Association, Felgate projected an image of an eager workaholic.
 Felgate is sure, privately, to have strong opinions about some of the people currently working with players |
He is clearly desperate to get going, desperate to eradicate the failures and make the most of what is already available. In a formal welcoming speech, John Crowther, the head of the LTA, highlighted the qualities of commitment, determination, passion and decisiveness which drew him to Felgate.
Tim Henman's very public campaigning on behalf of his former coach was a bonus, said Crowther, but not the reason he was picked.
In response, Felgate called for the team around him - including coaches and players - to display similar qualities and a hunger to succeed.
The first thing he will do when he arrives for his first day at work on 31 March, he says, will be to exchange his collar and tie for a tracksuit.
He is sure, privately, to have strong opinions about some of the people working with players who were top juniors but now are stagnating in the lower reaches of the rankings.
His biggest success in tennis has been as a coach, so this hands-on approach is refreshing and much needed.
In terms of the players, he believes there has been much wasted talent over the years.
Some have too comfortable a life, with wild cards and over-generous funding, so there's the need, he says, for much more competition and incentives for players to improve.
 David Felgate was Tim Henman's coach for almost 10 years |
And, perhaps in a veiled attack on the current generation of British under-achievers, he says players must truly love the sport and have a desire to improve. "There will be no more excuses," he says, rightly highlighting the wealth of facilities and funding the professional players in this country have at their disposal.
Most importantly, David Felgate - according to those who know him best - is the sort of guy who will not be afraid to make a few tough decisions.
The concern with this appointment was that any decision he made, which was likely to cause a stir in the traditional committee rooms of the LTA, would be in danger of veto.
No chance, says John Crowther.
Felgate will be backed all the way and the man himself is in no doubt that he will be allowed to do things his way.
This is tremendous news for British tennis.
Crucial decisions, affecting the direction of the sport or the future of an individual, need to be taken by people who know what they are talking about.
Felgate, although never a sensational player, has the experience and the right qualities for this job.
Now he needs everybody else to show as much determination.
"Judge me by my results", he says boldly.
"In four years time I want the public to see more players in the main draw at Wimbledon on the strength of their ranking, not just wild cards."
If only everybody in the past had been so accountable.
MMIX
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