Entente cordiale has broken out in Sussex.

A Frenchman and an Englishman have helped set up the first performance centre in the county under the LTA's Club Vision programme to encourage juniors.

Le Tennis, a coaching set-up run by Olivier Joussemet and Tim Cottingham, has had its partnership with Maresfield, a village club with only five outdoor courts, approved as a centre by the governing body.

Joussemet said: "It's not so much the size of a club but the quality of coaching for the juniors that matters to the LTA. That is why we have been approved. We are delighted."

The partnership offers around 300 youngsters a variety of techniques to develop their tennis. They:

l Work out at the Uckfield gymnasium to help their flexibility, balance co-ordination and conditioning.

l Go for a Saturday morning run to improve stamina and speed work.

l Have their fitness computer analysed.

l Have a set-up which claims to be "passionate" about helping Sussex and Britain develop champions.

Joussemet said: "Tim and I shared the same vision to provide youngsters with the best possible coaching at the youngest age possible, around five going up to 15.

"We wanted to get accredited by the LTA as a performance centre to help the development of the set-up. Paul Hutchins, who heads up the LTA's Club Performance accreditation programme, came down to see what we do and he was impressed.

"Then we met Patrice Hagelauer, who is the LTA performance director at Queen's Club, and he was enthusiastic about what we were trying to do.

"I came to England as a student and now we've got two Frenchmen working for British tennis!"

Hagelauer, a former Davis Cup captain who set up the French performance system, added: "Le Tennis has achieved a top level performance programme with limited finance and limited facilities and it shows what can be done if the desire and the drive is there.

"Through Performance Club Vision the LTA is ensuring that clubs which offer a professional performance programme will receive additional help and recognition to develop and expand the programme."

Le Tennis runs 22 squads a week from mini tennis through to top performance tennis.

Being part of the performance team requires dedication and discipline.

The link with Uckfield Gymnastics Club where Debbie Living, a professional gymnastics coach, put the performance squad through its paces each Monday, is an example.

Le Tennis believe in setting goals.

Do you want to be a club champion? Wimbledon champion? Do you drink enough fluids? Do you stretch regularly?

Joussemet added: "Goals do not have to be related just to match results. You need to work hard but it can be fun."

Cottingham added there are plenty of smiling faces on the three-mile weekly run.

He said: "We know the children are getting fit because they never stop talking on the run, especially the girls."

Le Tennis use Sportswise Ltd, the Sussex Centre for Sport and Exercise Medicine run by Nick Webborn. It has used Webborn and his team of physiotherapists, registered nutritionists and pilates instructors to treat injured players and to gain advice on injury prevention which covers everything from diet to posture to stretching programmes.

On top of the two-and-a-half hours of physical training, the players hit for between 7-10 hours each week. The players travel to tournaments in and out of the county.