Great Britain was disgraced again in the Davis Cup this week, but Oakleigh Park Tennis Club in Whetstone has cause for celebration, writes Dominic Gover.

That is because the club in Oakleigh Road North helped produce one of the few figures in the British team who has emerged with some credit.

James Ward, ranked 250, won one of his matches in straight sets.

But his success turned out to be a false dawn, as Britain lost the tie 3-2.

Now a storm has engulfed the sport’s UK governing body, the Lawn Tennis Association.

At Oakleigh Park, head coach Daren Quilty used to train the 23-year-old when he was a teenager, and the pair are friends today.

He told the Times Series that he is proud of his protege, who is now ranked number two in Britain.

“James puts in a lot of hard work, and he should have been picked for the squad last time,” said Quilty.

“But the Davis Cup is a team cup and he would rather the team had won.”

Oakleigh Park has produced a number of national-standard players during Quilty’s 14-year tenure there.

“Not bad for a small club,” he quipped.

But he thinks clubs like Oakleigh Park are ignored by the tennis authorities.

“I would love to help bring through more big players,” said Quilty.

“But the problem is that they never come to the clubs and ask for advice, or ask what is wrong.”

He also fears young British players are not made to toil like their foreign rivals.

“I think the work ethic is missing from the GB juniors. They get it all too early and they do not have to wait for it like in other countries.

"James had to go to Spain to get the amount of tennis that he needed, and which he could not get in Britain.

“He was very determined, even at 11, having three or four hours a day of tennis.

“You must really love the game to play that much, and have a strong work ethic too."

Quilty backed Ward to rise up the rankings.

“I think James will get better. He can serve at 130mph and that is his real weapon. His movement is not as good as it could be. But I think he will make the top 100.”

Today, Ward trains with Greg Rusedski, who is tipped to be the leader of a future revolution in British tennis.

Oakleigh Park might play a part in that.