From the Maties tennis courts in Stellenbosch to leading one of the biggest organisations in world tennis, Stellenbosch University (SU) alumnus Craig Tiley (Econ 1983) will take up his new appointment as chief executive officer (CEO) of the United States Tennis Association (USTA) in mid-2026. Speaking to us from the United States, where he is preparing for the move, he explains: “After 13 years as CEO of Tennis Australia, I decided it was time to take on the next challenge.

“I’m very excited about this opportunity with USTA, as I will be overseeing all aspects of the game in the US, including the US Open,” he adds. “The United States has most of the top players – men and women - it hosts the highest number of elite world tennis events and has the highest participation numbers. Nearly 28 million regularly play tennis in the States, and there is further opportunity to increase this number and to grow the number of players.”

Craig will work with teams across the country to grow tennis in the various states, and with the national office to grow the game nationally. He’ll be overseeing a team of 800 people at USTA, which is headquartered in New York and Orlando, Florida.

“Initially, I’ll spend time listening and learning to identify what needs to be done, and to digest all the great things that have been done by my predecessors,” he says. “Their excellent work is evidenced by the fact that more people are playing tennis in the States than ever before, and more great players are coming through.”

Yet he is sad to leave Tennis Australia, Craig says. “It’s been a privilege working here, and we developed a magnificent team who will continue to take it to the next level. It’s very important for me personally and professionally that I’m leaving Tennis Australia in a better place than when I started here.”

Craig, his wife, Alicia, and their three children, who were all born in Australia, will all make the move from Melbourne to Florida. “It’s hard for the children to leave behind their close friends in Australia, but they’ll stay connected,” he says.

Their daughter, Marlowe, is 13 and a good basketball player, and twin boys Archer and Weston are 12 and very keen tennis players. Craig says the extent of his tennis-playing now is with the twins.

Alicia is American and looking forward to returning home to family and friends. “It’s not easy being away from family,” says Craig. “I’ve got used to it all my life, but I visit my family in South Africa as often as possible. I’m hoping to come out in April this year.”

Craig first experienced SU when he was a 16-year-old schoolboy at Bryanston High School in Johannesburg, where he played first-team tennis. He came to the University on a tennis camp during the school holidays. “It was run by two great coaches - Jaroslav Houba and Philip Soderlund – and many of the top and up-and-coming players would attend the Maties tennis camp. He says he “instantly fell in love” with the University. 

“At the time lectures were in Afrikaans, which isn’t my first language, but I did learn it at school, and I was determined to be a Matie and started my economics degree in 1980. I had an Afrikaans-English dictionary alongside my textbooks at all times, and I enjoyed becoming fluent in Afrikaans.”

Craig played first-team tennis for Maties as well as hockey from 1980 to 1983, when he graduated.

He is intent on supporting a revival of tennis in South Africa through the establishment of a new Stellenbosch Racquet Centre. In 2025, Craig was introduced to the project through engagements with Stellenbosch University's Karen Bruns and Hans Scriba, as well as former top South African player John-Laffnie de Jager, and Craig has since been raising funds to build this tennis development centre on campus. “It will promote the game at the university and school level, with facilities where young players from across Africa can come and train,” he explains.

“I want to give back to SU because what I have achieved in my life and career is largely thanks to the foundation I received at Stellenbosch, for which I am very grateful.”

He is calling on sports stars, high-net-worth people and organisations worldwide to contribute to the tennis centre. “I am fortunate to have made good friends with people who are or have been at the height of international tennis, who are helping with the fundraising. We are well on our way to raising the necessary finance, and we aim to start building in the next 12 to 18 months,” he shares. “I’m very excited about it as I strongly believe that on your life journey it’s important to support those coming behind you. I want to see tennis doing well in South Africa again and one of these days to produce a world champion.”