While Irish Davis Cup player Scott Barron aspires to get his foot in the door for the qualifiers of this year's French Open at Roland Garros, there appears to be a change in approach from Tennis Ireland over what is best for the development of Irish players.

There is talk surrounding the Futures Event which Ireland stages each year and which attracts some of the better younger players from around the world. This year Tennis Ireland may not run the Futures, and instead invest that money in the current crop of players gaining experience in international tournaments abroad.

Barron, along with coach Peter Lowther, Conor Niland and Peter Clarke, have had some encouraging success in Australia and New Zealand over the past four weeks, while a fit Stephen Nugent, Kelly Liggan, Yvonne Doyle, Elsa O'Riain and Karen Nugent make up an Irish core of professional circuit players.