One Month into the Job: What Has the New USTA CEO Been Up To?
In February, Craig Tiley, the executive behind the world's hottest tennis event, announced his move from the Australian Open to become the new CEO of the USTA. Tiley spent 21 years in Australian tennis, earning a reputation as the visionary who turned the Australian Open into a global benchmark for innovation. (See Orange Bay Sports' previous coverage).
Tiley, 64, is a South African native. Australian media previously reported that he was the highest-paid sports administrator in Australia, earning AUD 3.78 million (approximately USD 2.7 million) in 2023.
USTA public data shows that the US Open generated USD 559.7 million in revenue in 2024, a record for a tennis tournament. The US Open accounts for over 90% of USTA's total revenue.
As USTA CEO, Tiley shoulders multiple responsibilities, including:
- Driving the already lucrative US Open to new commercial heights;
- Navigating the complex relationships across the global tennis community—from USTA's 17 sections to other Grand Slams and pro tours, as well as players, coaches, and agents;
- Overseeing grassroots development of tennis in the U.S., helping USTA achieve its strategic goal of 35 million tennis players by 2035. (Currently, the U.S. has about 28 million tennis players.)
In late July, after wrapping up his successor arrangements at the Australian Open, Tiley officially started at USTA headquarters in Orlando. On his first Monday, he began calling department heads to build relationships.
The next day, he flew to New York for three days of meetings with USTA leadership; on Friday, he headed to Texas for the Texas Section's annual meeting. Early Saturday, he joined an NCAA college tennis board call to introduce himself.
"Those first six days made it clear what matters most to him—building personal connections and ensuring everyone feels valued. That's one of his gifts." said Craig Morris, CEO of USTA's coaching division, who worked under Tiley for a decade at Tennis Australia.
Those who have worked with Tiley know he sleeps lightly and answers emails at all hours—it's just his style.
Above: Craig Tiley with 2026 Australian Open champion Carlos Alcaraz
One month into his tenure, Tiley says he has focused on "listening", having held nearly 40 one-on-one meetings with staff to understand their challenges and opportunities.
"My question to everyone is: 'If you had a magic wand, what would you change?' I want to tap into their ideas and creativity. The primary goal is building relationships." he said.
Morris believes that beyond his love for tennis, this is a hallmark of Tiley's leadership style. "He treats you as an individual, not just an employee. As that connection deepens, he radiates an energy that makes people want to work for him. That's his superpower."
Above: On August 24, Tiley appeared at the NYSE opening bell ceremony to promote the US Open.
Beyond building rapport with USTA section staff, Tiley also aims to create "full synergy" across American tennis.
The U.S. currently hosts 11 ATP and/or WTA events (covering 250, 500, and 1000 levels). While still a significant number, it has declined in recent years as tour licenses have been consolidated or moved.
"I want these (U.S.) events to feel part of a family. We must serve them, assist them, and do everything we can to make them better. I don't have a specific strategy yet, but I've publicly stated my vision: I want to see more big events in the U.S. I want tournaments every week so American players can basically stay home, travel between cities and the East and West Coasts, and ultimately break into the world's top 100." Tiley said.
Additionally, Tiley expressed a desire to "strongly support" college tennis—not in a controlling way, but by providing the right assistance to ensure it thrives, prevents program losses, and creates more opportunities for American players.
College tennis is one of Tiley's most familiar areas. From 1994 to 2005, he served as head coach of the University of Illinois men's tennis team, leading them to a perfect 32-0 season and the NCAA national championship in 2003, and earning national coach of the year honors twice.
When asked earlier about his move from Australia to the U.S., he called it a "family decision"—his wife is from Chicago. He wants his 12-year-old twin sons and 13-year-old daughter to have the chance to be close to their American family.
| Sources: sportsbusinessjournal, Orange Bay Sports archives
| Image credit: USTA official website