‘We’ve created a monster’: Former Australian Open boss reveals vision to replace ‘one-off’ Tiley

Craig Tiley’s predecessor as Australian Open boss believes Tennis Australia should find three people – not one – to replace the most important person in the sport in this country.

Tiley confirmed last month in a wide-ranging interview with this masthead that he was leaving his dual role as TA’s CEO and the Open’s tournament director to accept a similar position at the United States Tennis Association.

The South African-born powerbroker, who will be part of the process to find his replacement, is adamant the successful candidate should, like him, fill both his roles.

However, Paul McNamee, the Australian Open’s tournament director and chief executive from 1995 to 2006, who is now TA’s senior advisor for international relations, told this masthead that TA should first hire a new CEO to focus on the business, and then make two tennis-specific appointments.

McNamee’s vision is for someone with experience in running events to be the Open’s tournament director and another qualified person to be the head of tennis, responsible for overseeing the player development pathway.

“If you try to find a jack-of-all-trades like Craig was – good luck to you,” McNamee said.

“That’s too much. No one else works 16-hour days, 365 days a year, like Craig did. He’s a one-off [including with his skill-set]. Craig did a great job, but this is the right time to refocus.”

TA’s chief tennis officer Tom Larner is considered a leading contender to be the organisation’s next CEO, but ex-AFL boss and current Tabcorp CEO Gillon McLachlan could be a wildcard for the highest-paid executive position in Australian sport.

McNamee nominated his former AO deputy, Peter Johnston – who ran the WTA’s 250 tournament of the year in Hong Kong in 2024 and 2025 – as the ideal man to be Tiley’s replacement as tournament director.

This masthead has confirmed that Johnston would be interested in the position.

Stephen Farrow would be an internal candidate as tournament director if TA opted to split the roles, but his contention, in part, depends on how his performance running the fledgling United Cup is viewed.

McNamee also endorsed Ash Barty’s ex-coach Jason Stoltenberg and Darren Cahill – who co-coaches Jannik Sinner, but considered stepping down at the end of last year – as top head of tennis candidates.

Cahill will travel overseas less this season at his request, but it is unknown whether he would put his hand up for such a role at TA if it was created.

“We don’t have anyone on the men’s side [aged] under 25 in the top 200,” McNamee said.

“It’s not easy to get that, but who is going to take over from Alex de Minaur? He’s going to be around for a while – but he’s 27. That’s why it’s not an unreasonable proposition to say there will be a focus on that.”

Tiley transformed Melbourne’s grand slam into one of the world’s biggest events, with record crowds again this past January, but won’t be the US Open’s tournament director in his new post as CEO for American tennis. Former doubles specialist Eric Butorac will continue in that role.

McNamee hopes that TA takes a similar path with the Australian Open in the post-Tiley era.

“It is a difficult position to fill. The thing is that the CEO will, by necessity, be a businessman focusing on the business of the Australian Open,” he said.

“It’s almost a half-a-billion-dollar business, so, of course, you need someone who’s going to focus on that because the business of the Australian Open is too big. We’ve created a monster there, in the most positive way.”

McNamee said another consideration was the grassroots level and addressing participation threats to tennis, including pickleball and padel, and how to maintain players well beyond the Hot Shots introductory program.

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