EXCLUSIVE | Q&A: What does the future hold for Craig Tiley?

CEO of Tennis Australia and director of the Australian Open, South Africa-born Craig Tiley, discusses what his future holds.

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Tiley sat down with The South African website’s tennis correspondent Dave Marshall for an exclusive interview during this year’s grand slam in Melbourne.

In Part 6, Tiley discusses what the future holds for him.

How long do you think you will stay in the role?

“I never look that far into the future but focus more on what is right in front of you.

“I love what I’m doing, and I love being able to unlock value in people’s capabilities.  I love providing experiences and there is nothing more satisfying than seeing people enjoy what they are doing and growing.

“I also like change.  It is healthy and exciting.  In coaching I would often say “the pain of change is greater than the pain of losing”.  Change is hard but as leaders it should be at the core of everything you do. 

“We have a key goal at the Australian Open: A minimum of 50% of things will be different from the previous year.  This is fun to do and always a great challenge for the team. 

“As long as I wake up each morning and have the energy and excitement about my work I will continue to strive for great things for the team and the organisation.

This year was the 50th anniversary of John Newcombe winning his second Australian Open in 1975. What does this achievement mean to you?

“John Newcombe is a legend.

“I remember listening on a radio in the bush in South Africa to Ken Rosewall playing Jimmy Connors at Wimbledon.

“I remember the background noise at Wimbledon and the fans applauding. I have a deep respect for the history of the game.

“We named out annual tennis awards the Newcombe medal. This year’s coin toss includes a coin with an image of John Newcombe celebrating his 50th anniversary. 

“We celebrate the legends of Australian tennis. Australia has so many great tennis legends.

“Australia has been a dominant force in the world of tennis for a long time.

“Newcombe is a man of the people.”

Just like John Newcombe, South Africa-born Craig Tiley is also a man of the people.

Dave Marshall covered the 2025 Australian Open in Melbourne exclusively for The South African website        

The South African website thanks Craig Tiley for his time in granting us this six-part exclusive interview