Tennis Australia names surprise Tiley successor, but one big question lingers

Tennis Australia has unveiled Andrew Abdo as the surprise successor to outgoing chief executive Craig Tiley, but intrigue remains over whether Abdo will also inherit the job of Australian Open tournament director.

The NRL and Tennis Australia both confirmed Abdo’s role change on Monday afternoon, but TA did not say whether he would hold both positions.

Tiley, who has taken over as the United States Tennis Association’s CEO, was adamant at the time of his resignation in February that his replacement should hold both positions. This masthead has contacted Tennis Australia seeking clarification on Abdo’s role.

Abdo, whose name had not been publicly linked with the job until Monday and who will start at TA in August, said in a statement that his new position would provide him with the chance to build on the success of the Australian Open, which he referred to as one of the biggest sporting events on the planet.

“The opportunity is to keep evolving it – as a global event, as a fan experience, and as a platform that brings more people into the sport,” Abdo said.

“What excites me about this role is the opportunity to grow participation, strengthen development pathways and ensure success at the elite level, so that more young Australians pick up a racquet and stay lifelong participants.”

Abdo was the NRL’s CEO for six years and its chief commercial officer before that. He oversaw a successful period in rugby league that included record crowd attendances and TV ratings, as well as the historic decision to play annual games in Las Vegas since 2024.

Tiley was part of the process of selecting Abdo, and said he was an “outstanding” appointment.

Tennis Australia chairperson Chris Harrop, who formally replaced Jayne Hrdlicka in December, said Abdo’s strong leadership track record at the NRL, and his impact from community to the elite level, made him the standout among more than 150 candidates.

“[Abdo] is well-placed to lead tennis in Australia into its next phase,” Harrop said.

TA’s chief tennis officer Tom Larner was considered a strong contender, particularly as an internal candidate with extensive understanding of TA’s operations and having worked under Tiley.

Tiley had previously told this masthead that the top priorities for his successor as Australian Open boss were the “four Ss”: more seats, more shade, more space and more screens.

There are already discussions between TA, the Victorian government and Collingwood Football Club officials about the Open expanding across the road from Melbourne Park into Olympic Park.

The exact structure and any further potential changes at Tennis Australia remain to be seen, but 11 of the country’s best men’s tennis players are lobbying for former Victorian Liberal Deputy Leader Sam Groth to score a senior leadership position.

There was disappointment among Australia’s leading women’s players that they were not consulted on the Groth endorsement.

Tiley’s defection to the USTA was first touted in December, but he told this masthead that he did not make up his mind until after this year’s Australian Open.

He oversaw extraordinary growth at the Melbourne-based grand slam, in particular, transforming the tournament into an entertainment extravaganza far beyond just tennis.

Almost 1.4 million people attended the Australian Open this past January.

But Tiley departs at a time when Australia’s talent pathway, including chief strategy officer Tim Jolley’s position, is being questioned, with dwindling prospects on the men’s side and concern about the lack of junior talent coming through.

There were calls from various quarters, including Tiley’s predecessor Paul McNamee in an interview with The Age, for TA to appoint multiple people instead of the successful candidate being responsible for both roles.