The Australians call it their “tough love” policy and yesterday David Rice and Naomi Broady were having to come to terms with the startling discovery that British tennis’s gravy train does not run indefinitely. The response of the “Bebo Two”, having had their funding cut over teenage pranks that went a little too far, will determine if they have a future in the sport.

When the pair posted ill-judged messages and images on the social networking website where kids let off steam, have a bit of a laugh and generally act in a manner that is not meant to be taken too seriously, they obviously did not expect the wrath of the LTA to descend upon them. But the governing body was in a dicey spot — either writing the episode off as nothing more than kids having their kicks, or choosing to come across as ruthless sporting guardians. It plumped for the latter.

Thus Rice, the 18-year-old whose profile seems to have disappeared from the LTA’s website and Broady, also 18 and the pick of the crop of teenage girls, will not be able to travel to or take part in any tournaments, have had their coaching withdrawn and will be unable to tap into the gilt-edged resources of the National Tennis Centre (NTC) in Roehampton, southwest London for at least two months.

As the LTA funds each player to the tune of £20,000 a year in coaching, travelling, fitness and nutritional support, one can see the point of its determination that Rice and Broady toe the line. Several other juniors have been warned as to their future conduct because the LTA, in return for such funding (which could be seen as extravagant), expects its elite young players to demonstrate that they have a professional attitude to a sport in which it is difficult to succeed.

Both sets of parents are said to be “devastated” by the turn of events. An LTA spokesman said: “We need them to help us and share in the responsibility of helping their kids out.

“Everyone has a stake in this and their parents have been extremely supportive. We want to draw a line under this and hope that both David and Naomi come back stronger from what has happened. We need to challenge and support them so that they get the message.”

Daniel Evans, the 17-year-old from Warwickshire who reached the quarter-finals of the US Open junior championship this month, and the doubles partner of Rice, insists that his friend is nothing like the person he has been painted in the past 24 hours.

“David is so different, he’s a really quiet lad who doesn’t say much,” Evans said. “I know none of this happened during a tournament or in a training block because I’m with him then. But he’s not a kid, he’s 18 and he’s allowed to let his hair down a bit. Succeeding in tennis is hard enough as it is without having to deal with this.”

Rice played in all four junior grand-slam tournaments this year but has not developed as quickly as someone of 6ft 2in who possesses his great physical attributes ought. Broady won the Under18 National Championships last month and is regarded as one of the most potent ball-strikers in the teenage ranks.

But the action taken by the LTA pales against the tough sentences handed down by Tennis Australia (TA) against Bernard Tomic, a 15-year-old who has been earmarked for a prodigious future, and Brydan Klein, a 17-year-old from Perth who won the Australian Open junior title this year.

Klein was taken home after an outburst on court during an ATP futures tournament in Britain in the summer and will not be allowed to play until he completes an anger management course. Tomic was prevented from competing in the Wimbledon junior tournament as punishment for a lack of effort in the French Open.

Craig Tiley, TA’s head of player development, said. “There is a standard of behaviour for all athletes to adhere to, no matter who they are. The type of behaviour exhibited on the court that is contrary to becoming a great player needs to be stamped out as early as possible.”