Craig Tiley is the new chief executive of the United States Tennis Association.
The former Australian Open boss has left his post to take charge of the year’s final Grand Slam tournament.
Having enjoyed success in Australia, Tiley will now be responsible for the US Open.
The Australian Open is the best Grand Slam… discuss!
But what should he do now to make sure his first US Open is a memorable one?
Here are three changes he should make immediately.
Craig Tiley’s next steps after taking US Open job
Make tickets more affordable
This isn’t necessarily a US Open-specific problem, but more of a sport-wide issue.
Tickets are too expensive, and it’s making tennis inaccessible to regular fans.
But the prices in New York last year, in particular, were absurd.
Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner’s US Open final was the hottest ticket in town, costing thousands of dollars.
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Dynamic ticket pricing plays a role in the staggering costs, and perhaps Tiley should change that for 2026.
If you want fans to engage with the sport at all levels, pricing millions out is obviously not the way to go.
Yes, it’s nice to see celebrities pop up on screen at Arthur Ashe Stadium, but are they there for an ATP 250 first-round match? No, of course they are not!
There must be an effort to ensure that true fans of the sport can afford to watch the biggest matches that tennis has to offer.
Stop interviewing players after the finals
Aryna Sabalenka finally won her first Grand Slam of the year at the 2025 US Open, defeating Amanda Anisimova in the final.
What happened afterwards was almost difficult to watch.
Most trophy presentations follow a simple structure.
- Runner-up speech
- Champion speech
But not at the US Open…
Interviewer Mary Carillo asked Anisimova questions throughout her speech.
Before Anisimova could thank her team and family, Carillo cut her off.
“Just a few more words,” asked Anisimova.
The same happened in Sabalenka’s speech…
“Wait, wait, wait, I need to say thank you to my team, I’m not done, what do you mean?” said Sabalenka.
Many fans criticised the handling of the ceremony.
If Tiley wants an easy win to start his tenure as the US Open boss, just let the players do their speeches uninterrupted!
Take the Australian Open’s One Point Slam
The ‘One Point Slam’ was a massive hit at this year’s Australian Open.
Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, Coco Gauff, and others competed for a $1 million prize in a tournament made up of, you guessed it, one-point matches.
In the end, amateur Jordan Smith won the title, upsetting the odds on Rod Laver Arena.
You’d be hard pushed to find anyone who didn’t enjoy playing or watching the One Point Slam.
Now, the US Open already has a pre-tournament event featuring big names, its mixed doubles championships.
In 2025, Alcaraz, Emma Raducanu, Venus Williams, and Iga Swiatek took part.
It was doubles specialists Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori who emerged victorious, though.
The event was a success, but the main criticism was how it excluded genuine mixed doubles pairs in favor of all-star singles players.
To balance things out in 2026, Tiley could take half the singles stars over to the One Point Slam, and the other half can continue playing mixed doubles during fan week.
That would allow more traditional mixed doubles pairs to compete for a Grand Slam title.
A win for all parties!
Honorable mention – Better food around the grounds
Those who have been to Melbourne for the Australian Open will know just how good the food is around the grounds.
Local ‘pop-up shops’ are a big hit, highlighting the best Australia has to offer.
That’s not to say the food in New York is bad, but encouraging more locals to get involved can only be a good thing.
What has Craig Tiley said since taking US Open role?
“I am truly honored to step into the role of CEO of the USTA later this year,” he said.
“I’ve long admired the organization’s leadership in growing the game across the United States and the extraordinary success of the US Open.
“Tennis has shaped my life, personally and professionally, and having begun my tennis journey in the U.S. as an NCAA championship coach, this opportunity feels like a full-circle moment.
“I’m excited to return to American tennis and to work alongside our leadership locally and nationally to continue building the sport’s reach, impact, and future.”
Only time will tell how Tiley will get on in his new position, but it will certainly be interesting to see.
The 2026 US Open begins on Sunday, August 23.
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