Nearly 20 years after joining Tennis Australia in 2005 as Director of Tennis and later rising to CEO in 2013, Craig Tiley, following a months-long search, is now reportedly in line to become the next CEO of the United States Tennis Association, per Sportico. The report suggests Tiley’s résumé checks every box for the USTA as the organization pushes for growth and evolution around the US Open. But has Craig Tiley signed on yet?

Just hours ago, veteran journalist Jon Wertheim took to X to share an update from the USTA. “While we do not have any news to share at this time,” the organization said in a statement, “we are confident that our next CEO will continue to build on the USTA’s long-standing commitment to growing the game of tennis in communities across the United States and elevating the U.S. Open as the biggest stage for our sport.”

Tiley’s résumé goes well beyond the boardroom. He previously served as head men’s tennis coach at the University of Illinois, where he led the “Fighting Illini” to the 2003 NCAA championship. Before that, he captained South Africa’s Davis Cup team from 1998 to 2001, gaining international experience that would later shape his administrative career. But that’s only part of what the 63-year-old has accomplished.

For those who may not know, Craig Tiley is one of the most prominent sporting administrators in Australia. After nearly two decades at the helm of Australian tennis, he has overseen the remarkable growth of the Australian Open at Melbourne Park, transforming it into the nation’s biggest annual sporting event.

The move would cap a thorough six-month hiring process conducted by the USTA. In the interim, the role has been jointly managed by board chairman Brian Vahaly and COO Andrea Hirsch after the departure of former CEO Lew Sherr, as the organization worked carefully to identify its next leader. Still, several questions remain.

Even if the 2017 University of Illinois hall of fame inductee signs the contract in the coming weeks, it remains unclear whether he would stay on in his current role for next month’s Australian Open, slated for Jan. 12 to Feb. 1.

According to Sportico, efforts to contact Tiley have so far come up empty. “Attempts to reach Tiley via email and LinkedIn weren’t returned; a representative for Elevate, which was retained in July to run the process, declined to comment,” the outlet reported.

However, whether the former South African Davis Cup captain ultimately makes the move or not, one thing is clear: he has long been driven by a bold vision to turn the Australian Open into the biggest sporting event on the planet. So what exactly are his plans?

Craig Tiley sets vision for millions of fan experiences

Craig Tiley once told the Sydney Morning Herald that he had come through what he described as the “most difficult” stretch of his career, shaped by the pandemic and Novak Djokovic’s deportation saga.

Emerging from that period, Tiley made it clear he wasn’t just focused on strengthening the Australian Open but was also driven to help reshape the broader tennis landscape.

In the same interview, the 63-year-old explained that he doesn’t believe in setting fixed timelines for leadership roles. He said he would stay in his dual role with Tennis Australia as long as he still had the energy, motivation, and belief that he was continuing to innovate, rather than simply maintaining the status quo.

Tiley has repeatedly outlined an ambitious vision for the Australian Open, saying he wants it to become “the biggest sporting event in the world,” not just the biggest tournament in January or in the Southern Hemisphere. His goal, he said, is to push the event beyond traditional boundaries and elevate it onto a global stage that few sporting events can match.

“We’re going to be at the forefront of the technological experience. You’ve got to invest millions of dollars in digital transformation,” Craig Tiley said.

And to achieve that, Tiley has emphasized expansion and innovation. He has spoken about extending the tournament experience through initiatives like opening week, investing heavily in digital transformation, and using technology to better understand fans.

The aim, he said, is to create “a million different experiences” so that every person who walks through the gates feels they are part of something truly special, even if that approach challenges conventional thinking.