Tennis New Zealand appoints a National Performance Coach

Tennis New Zealand have a new National Performance Coach. Photo / Getty Images.

Tennis New Zealand have appointed a new National Performance Coach, Frenchman Christophe Lambert.

The 52 year old is a highly-credentialed career coach and joins Tennis NZ off the back of 20 + years of high performance coaching experience.

Lambert has delivered impressive stints in leadership coaching roles at National federations in the UK, Canada and as a part of the provincial system in China. He has been Ohope based since December last year as his Kiwi wife has family in the area.

Lambert says his biggest challenge will be "trying to find players around the country aged between 8 and 14 years who have potential because they have the biggest possibility for improvements."

He is also looking forward to working with the older elite players on their programs.

Tennis NZ CEO Julie Paterson is delighted to secure a coach of Lambert's stature.

"He will be working extensively throughout the country supporting the regions in areas of coach mentoring and player development."

"We were looking for someone who would add to the cultural change High Performance Manager Simon Rea has introduced and someone who was able to demonstrate the qualities of great leadership." Paterson said.

Lambert has spent the past three years coaching in China and before that he ran the Toronto National Junior Training program in Canada, working in the Canadian tennis system from 2009 to 2015.

He worked for the LTA in London from 2001 to 2007 before spending 18 months with the Chinese Davis Cup team.