article_snippet: Our sport is declining and some people have a problem hearing that,' Chief Michael Downey said at the start.
article_snippet: What Chief Michael Downey was specifically referring to was the problems tennis, like most other ball sports, has with declining participation numbers.
article_snippet: Despite the hundreds of millions gleaned from Wimbledon profits and that event's ever growing popularity, there has been an average drop of 5 per cent in adult participation over each of the past five years.
article_snippet: Curiously Chief Michael Downey omitted to mention, until asked, that tennis is now played to a greater or lesser extent in 20,000 schools among 2.6 million children, an impressive figure that would be envied by most other sports.
article_snippet: Murray's victory at SW19 in 2013 spiked interest but there has been a five per cent fall in adult participation . '
highlights_snippet: There has been five per cent drop in adult participation over last five years .
  