Craig Tiley stepped into the top job of the nation’s largest tennis market with a schedule that left little room for a slow start.
Tiley hits the ground running with a whirlwind first week
By 7 a.m. on day one, the former Tennis Australia chief was in Orlando, dialing section leaders on the national campus. The next morning took him to New York for three days of senior‑leadership meetings, and by Friday he was in Texas for the state‑section annual gathering.
He joined a video call on Saturday with the Intercollegiate Tennis Association board, where he introduced himself to coaches and players.
“That first six days gives you a sense of what’s important to him,” said Craig Morris, CEO of USTA Coaching, who worked with Tiley for a decade in Australia. “Connection and making sure that people feel that they’re the most important person across the board. That’s a real gift that he has.”
Colleagues describe him as a light sleeper who answers email at any hour. The pace of his itinerary hints at the scale of the role: overseeing grassroots growth, steering the U.S. Open toward higher commercial returns, and juggling relationships with 17 regional bodies, the Grand Slam circuit, and player representatives.
“It’s not going to be dull,” said Octagon founder Phil de Picciotto. “[Tiley] is not going to be a shrinking wallflower. He’ll be out there, and he knows everybody in tennis from his prior position. He’s uniquely qualified.”
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Vision for grassroots and the U.S. Open
Tiley’s résumé includes a stint as Illinois men’s coach from 1994‑2005, where he guided the team to an undefeated season and a 2003 NCAA title. He then spent over two decades at Tennis Australia, rising from director of tennis to tournament director of the Australian Open and finally chief executive in 2013.
When he took the helm of the association in late July, he launched a listening tour, holding nearly 40 one‑on‑one conversations with staff. He asked everyone what they would change if they could. The first goal was building relationships.
Former player Rajeev Ram noted that Tiley took as many hours in the day as necessary to make somebody feel truly valued. Teammate Evan Zeder, now a senior global director at a sports‑apparel firm, recalled Tiley urging the team to think beyond “just getting fans out.”
In practice, the emphasis on connection could translate into more localized tournaments and stronger support for college programs. If regional leaders feel heard, they may be better equipped to drive the goal of 35 million active participants by 2035, up from 27.3 million reported for 2025.
Tiley also voiced a desire to see a weekly cadence of professional events across the country, allowing American players to compete close to home and climb the rankings without constant travel. He mentioned a “premier tour” concept that would tier events and create a clearer offseason, though no concrete steps have been announced yet.
His track record of turning the Australian Open into a multi‑purpose venue that generated nearly $500 million in revenue by that year suggests he may pursue similar innovations at Flushing Meadows.
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One long‑standing idea he floated is a mile‑long translucent dome to control climate during the tournament, but he cautioned that such “transformational” projects will be stress‑tested after the 2026 edition.
The new chief also plans to lean into college tennis, not by dictating terms but by supplying the “right support” to keep programs alive and provide pathways for emerging talent.
This aligns with his earlier success at Illinois, where he turned a modest program into a national powerhouse by building a team‑first culture.
Outside the domestic scene, the organization faces external pressures, including a player‑led push for higher Grand Slam payouts and an antitrust lawsuit that names the governing body as a defendant.
Tiley’s experience settling a similar dispute for Tennis Australia may inform his approach, though the outcome remains uncertain.
In the middle of all this, the practical impact of his early outreach could be felt in how quickly regional offices adopt new initiatives. If staff feel genuinely heard, the rollout of community courts or coaching grants may accelerate, giving local clubs the tools they need to attract newcomers.
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Tiley’s first public statement about the upcoming U.S. Open highlighted the event’s financial clout: $560 million in revenue, representing 90 percent of the organization’s total $624 million budget. He indicated that this strong base will allow the association to “accelerate on a stronger foundation” rather than spending time fixing foundational gaps.
Critics note that the association’s support for existing ATP and WTA tournaments has waned, and tournament operators hope the new leader can reverse that trend.
Tiley’s history of integrating entertainment elements—go‑karts, water slides, live music—into the Australian Open may inform his strategy to make U.S. events more appealing to broader audiences.
As the first months unfold, observers will watch whether the listening tour’s insights translate into measurable growth in participation numbers, event attendance, and revenue streams.
The next chapter for the sport’s biggest national body now hinges on how quickly the new CEO can turn conversation into action.