The Lawn Tennis Association’s head of men’s tennis Leon Smith has warned a group of young aspiring stars they are only at the start of a long journey to the top.

Croydon’s Lily Ghodrati, 14, and Andrew Watson, 13, Zack Norman, 15, and Sacha Modica, 16, from Carshalton have been selected to be part of the LTA’s 2014 Aegon Future-Stars programme.

The players are among a group of 424 emerging stars identified from across the country who will now receive added financial and coaching support from the game’s governing body.

Smith said: “We are committed to supporting and identifying our most talented players, and the Aegon FutureStars programme is central to this process for young players who are starting out in the game.

“There’s obviously a long way to go for these players.

“It’s a long journey for any player hoping to make an impact on the game, but we hope that with the right support, these players are given the best possible chance of reaching their full potential.”