The off-season has arrived, with the final events of the year wrapped. The ATP and WTA Finals are in the books. So are the Billie Jean King Cup and Davis Cup. Team Italy walked away with both team titles, stunning fans on each side. But not everyone took part. Emma Raducanu watched from the sidelines, choosing to skip the team event. That decision didn’t sit well with former British pro John Lloyd.

“That, to me, is beyond belief,” the one-time British No. 1 vented on The Inside-In Tennis Podcast with Mitch Michals. He pointed to Raducanu skipping the BJK Cup for Great Britain, and Sinner and Musetti sitting out of Davis Cup for Italy. Lloyd gets that Sinner and Musetti needed a break or had injuries. Still, he isn’t happy with what’s happening now and claims this wasn’t the case in his era.

“Emma Raducanu, Great Britain had a chance for the first time to possibly win it,” he said. “She pulls out of it, says she wants to spend more time with the new coach, get ready for next season or ranking points. I’m thinking, ‘Are you kidding me?’ When is it not privileged to play for your country?”

Lloyd knows all about pressure. He blasted into the 1977 Australian Open final, the first British man to do so in the Open Era. He pushed Vitas Gerulaitis to five gritty sets but fell just short. For 11 years, he powered Team GB, steering them to the 1978 Davis Cup final. He owns two ATP doubles titles, including one with his brother David in 1976. He battled to the 1984 US Open quarterfinals, adding grit to his resume.

Alongside Wendy Turnbull, Lloyd claimed three mixed doubles Grand Slam trophies: the 1982 French Open and back-to-back Wimbledon crowns in 1983 and 1984. The pair finished runners-up at Wimbledon in 1982, a near-miss that still stings. Since stepping away from the tour in 1986, Lloyd’s watched the sport shift. He’s not happy with the direction. For him, the spirit is dimming—and he’s not afraid to call it out.