OFFICIAL: Craig Tiley, new Chief Executive Officer of the USTA

Fernando Murciego | 25 Feb 2026 | 08.57

OFFICIAL: Craig Tiley, new Chief Executive Officer of the USTA. Source: Getty

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Although it had been an open secret for weeks, it wasn't made official until a few hours ago. Craig Tiley, who had been the director of the Australian Open since 2006, has decided to break away and start working for the USTA.

This move could cause earthquakes within the circuit, as it is not common to see such important figures decide to leave a top-level organization to join another. What is clear is that the USTA had set its sights on Craig Tiley and the job offer must have been overwhelming, one of those that you can't refuse even if it means a radical life change. After serving as the Australian Open director since 2006 and chief executive since 2013, the South African will now have to channel all his experience into the same role but in a different organization.

Recognized for many years as the driving force behind the Australian Open, always providing the best conditions and keeping the tournament at the forefront, Craig Tiley's success Down Under has led other Grand Slams —in this case, countries hosting a top-tier event— to consider him as someone who can help them reach the next level. At the USTA, he will serve as CEO in the coming months, but he will continue to work for some time with the Tennis Australia Board to ensure a smooth transition between these two giants.

"From the beginning of this process, our main priority was to identify the right leader to accelerate participation growth and help us reach our goal of 35 million players by 2035," said USTA board chair and co-interim chief executive Brian Vahaly. "Craig brings a rare combination of global credibility at the highest level of sport and a proven commitment to growing the game at the grassroots. That balance is exactly what this moment requires. As we seek to maximize the power of the US Open as a platform for inspiration and growth, Craig's leadership and understanding of the entire tennis ecosystem will be invaluable. We are confident that he is the right leader to guide American tennis to its next chapter,” he added.

First words of Craig Tiley as USTA CEO

Some may see it as a betrayal, while others may understand that perhaps Tiley's time in Australia had come to an end, leaving a tournament at its peak after many years of growth. His mission there was already completed. Now he will have to face new challenges in America with the greatest power in the tennis circuit, a power that perhaps has never fully leveraged its economic potential. Craig will need to design the perfect strategy for the United States to not only produce tournaments and players in massive quantities, but also to find the key —especially on the men's side— to extract that next Grand Slam champion we've been waiting for since the days of Andy Roddick.

Craig Tiley leaves the Australian Open and joins the USTA

"I am truly honored to take on the role of USTA CEO later this year. For a long time, I have admired the organization's leadership in growing the game in the United States and the extraordinary success of the US Open. Tennis has shaped my personal and professional life, having started my tennis journey in the United States as a coach in the NCAA championship, so this opportunity feels like closing a circle. I am excited to return to American tennis and work alongside our local and national leadership to continue building the reach, impact, and future of the sport,” expressed the South African.

As head coach of the University of Illinois men's tennis team from 1994 to 2005, Tiley guided the team to an NCAA Division I National Championship in 2003 with a perfect record of 32-0. Tiley was twice honored as the Wilson/ITA Division I National Coach of the Year and was inducted into the ITA Men's Collegiate Tennis Hall of Fame.

Now, will he be able to give the US Open the same recognition that the Australian Open currently has? We don't know, but if the goal is for tennis to take a step forward globally, it is clear that the United States is the perfect place to implement the plan. "Tennis is one of the few truly global sports that you can play throughout your life, at any level, and that is part of its magic," says Tiley. "It has an incredible ability to bring together people (players, fans, communities) from all countries and cultures. I firmly believe that the opportunity ahead for our sport is enormous. We are transitioning from engaging millions of people attending live events to connecting with billions of fans worldwide digitally, throughout the year. If we continue to innovate and tell the story of our sport compellingly, tennis will only grow stronger, more connected, and more impactful in the years to come,” he concluded in his statement.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, OFICIAL: Craig Tiley, nuevo director ejecutivo de la USTA