TENNIS: USTA names Tennis Australia's Craig Tiley as new CEO

The United States Tennis Association (USTA) has appointed Tennis Australia head Craig Tiley as its next CEO, the national governing body for the U.S. Open announced on Monday.

Tiley, 64, will officially assume his duties in the coming months while working closely with Tennis Australia’s board to ensure a smooth leadership transition. He succeeds Lew Sherr, who stepped down last year to join Major League Baseball’s New York Mets as president of business operations.

“I’ve long admired the organization’s leadership in growing the game across the United States and the extraordinary success of the U.S. Open,” Tiley, who began his tennis career in the U.S. as a college coach, said in a USTA press release. “I’m excited to return to American tennis and to work alongside our leadership locally and nationally to continue building the sport’s reach, impact, and future.”

During his 13 years with Tennis Australia, Tiley helped tennis become the country’s second most popular sport, behind soccer. He will now support the USTA’s goal of reaching 35 million players by 2035.

As CEO of Tennis Australia since 2013 and Australian Open tournament director since 2006, Tiley has been a champion for innovation and player-focused initiatives. Under his leadership, the Australian Open consistently broke attendance and revenue records, becoming one of the world’s most successful and innovative sporting events.

Earlier, Tiley served as head coach of the University of Illinois men’s tennis team from 1994 to 2005, guiding the team to an NCAA Division I National Championship in 2003 with a perfect 32–0 record.

-Reporting by Frank Pingue in Toronto; Editing by Pritha Sarkar/Reuters