The Lawn Tennis Association must be a nervy place at this time of year.

Not only does the hierarchy undergo its annual trial by media as another year passes without any hope of a British Wimbledon champion, Martina Navratilova returns to add insult to injury.

Just as sure as her visits used to culminate with the All England Club handing over a chunk of precious metal and a sizeable cheque, they are now preceded by a withering attack on the state of tennis in this country and yesterday was no different.

Navratilova may have pulled out of the doubles competition at the DFS Classic with a swollen knee, but like her professional career there seems no end to the scorn she has for the sport's organisers on this side of the Pond.

With the rain pouring and little else to occupy the waiting hacks and snappers, a special press conference was arranged and typically the 49-year-old's thoughts were manna from heaven - except, that is, for anyone responsible for finding the next Virginia Wade.

Once more the oldest grand slam winner in history vented her spleen, lambasting the LTA for not producing a top 100 player and openly wondering where all their money went. It was brutal stuff.

A tentative inquiry if she thought there was hope for the game in Britain produced a fierce response: "I don't see anything yet," she said.

"I've only just got here so maybe there are some beautiful young athletes waiting in the wings but it seems they get to a certain level and they stagnate. That has to be a reflection on the system, not on the players.

"That's not an accident because countries like France and Spain have produced a much higher number of quality players." Indeed.

While our European cousins make up 15 per cent of the top 100, France with nine and Spain with six, Britain's highest ranked player is Anne Keothavong at 145 with no one else inside the first 200.

It is a damning statistic and Martina is the one doing the damning.

"You can't have a champion without the base, and British tennis doesn't even have a base at the moment," she continued.

"Are there any British players in the women's top 100? No. That's a sad commentary on British tennis. What do they [the LTA] do with their money? Where does it go?

"It seems everybody worries about this during Wimbledon and for a week it's talked about, but then it's on to the next thing, and it's not talked about out again until the next year.

"The people in power and the coaches, they hold onto their job and when the storm blows over they go back to their good old ways. Nothing changes. The status quo wins again."

She did, however offer to meet the LTA's new chief executive, Roger Draper, who assumed office in April and has spent the last couple of months talking to anyone who's ever picked up a racquet.

In that respect, Martina is suitably qualified and happy to oblige.

"I'll speak to anybody," she said.

For his part, Draper appeared keen on the offer as the LTA released a statement in a bid to head the criticism off at the pass.

"Roger has spent the first six weeks of his time at the LTA speaking and listening to many of the leading figures in British tennis," a spokesman said.

"He is now spending time with international players and coaches and would welcome the opportunity to meet Martina. Martina has a lot to offer and his office is setting up a meeting with her during Wimbledon."

Presumably not just to present her with a 176th doubles title and a decent sum of English pounds.