The Lawn Tennis Association has vowed to reverse a "long-term decline" in participation by harnessing Andy Murray's success and spending an extra £9million by 2018, according to chief executive Michael Downey.

The number of people playing tennis weekly and monthly over the last five years in England has decreased by five per cent while statistics show a nine per cent drop for those aged 16 to 25.

As part of a new four-year strategy, Downey explained the need to overcome more convenient "doorstep sports", such as swimming, cycling and jogging, while also helping clubs attract more younger players.

The LTA plans to support its ideas with a 50 per cent hike in participation spending from £17m in 2014 to £26m in 2018.

Downey has discussed the strategy with Murray, who led Great Britain to a Davis Cup victory over the United States earlier this month, and admits more needs to be done to capitalise on the Scot's success.

"We think there was a flattening in the decline in 2012 and 2013 - those were Andy's summers," Downey said.

"In 2012 he lost the final but emotionally connected with the crowd and won the Olympic gold and the US Open. The next year he won Wimbledon.

"We can't prove it but we did see a flattening in the decline - is there an 'Andy factor' there?

"He drove the adrenaline of the local public. We need to sort out the marketing strength of what we do. It's not just about going to Andy and using his image.

"What Andy did with the Davis Cup team last weekend helps. If he wins Wimbledon, he's going to be in every media report, newspaper report and all over social media.

"Would it be good for him to tell kids to go out and play tennis? Absolutely."

Downey added: "I thoroughly enjoyed the meeting with Andy. He wanted to know why the sport was declining and we talked about that at length.

"He asked some good questions and he folded up the document and took it away with him, it starts there."

The LTA hope to draw on Murray as part of a marketing drive aimed at pulling in more players, particularly during May and June before interest peaks around Wimbledon.

As well as extending the amount of tennis played in schools, there is also a determination to encourage more casual players to use courts in local parks.

"The plan is all about participation and we think parks tennis is an enormous opportunity because that's where most tennis players are," Downey said.

"They play in the summer and they peak in July but there isn't enough of a provision there.

"Parks are important because they are a front door to inclusion because just about every neighbourhood in this country has a park in their back yard.

"Parks are critical in slowing the decline, stemming the decline and then growing."

Downey was appointed LTA chief executive in September 2013, having spent nine years as president of Tennis Canada.

The Canadian, however, has so far been unable to stem falling participation figures or improve Britain's meagre tally of only two singles players in the top 100.

Murray is currently ranked fourth in the world while Heather Watson is the highest British female in 43rd.