JUDY Murray thinks that more female coaches are needed in order for the amount of young girls getting involved in tennis to increase.

The former Fed Cup captain visited a south Essex David Lloyd Clubs centre to deliver a coach training workshop, tailored to adults and children.

Murray, 57, has travelled up and down the country to put on junior masterclasses, which has seen the parents play a leading role in the sessions.

A vast amount of girls and boys have taken part in the sessions and Murray feels more needs to be done to get females interested in playing the sport.

Murray told the Echo: “We have to work hard to make our sport as fun and stimulating as we can for girls.

“That is one of the reasons why I developed my Miss Hits Programme, which is for girls aged five to eight.

“But we also need more female coaches because they understand how little girls tick much better.

“Only 20 per cent of our coaching workforce are women so we are trying hard through the She Rallies programme, that we just launched, to build a bigger and stronger female coaching workforce.”

Murray believes it is important for parents to learn how to coach their own children in sport.

The coach feels that up-and-coming tennis players learn best when being coached by their parents from a young age.

Murray coached her sons from a young age.

Sir Andy Murray is the current world number one and is a two-time Wimbledon champion.

Meanwhile, Jamie Murray was a doubles champion in the Australian Open and US Open last year.

Murray added: “My aim is to get children engaged and active through sport and enjoying tennis in particular.

“The same motor skills underpin every sport and these can be developed in a fun and natural way through family play. A child’s first port of call when they want to try any activity, is the parent so the more we can engage the whole family, the better.

“Sport has so many wide-ranging benefits in terms of life skills so I’m looking forward to sharing my knowledge and passion with the whole family.”

Judy Murray was hosting a Junior Masterclass at David Lloyd Gidea Park as part of her new role as Coach Consultant for David Lloyd Clubs.