Final interviews conclude in the hunt to be the next Tennis Australia CEO

Final interviews to replace Craig Tiley as Tennis Australia CEO have been completed, as a decision looms within the next month, The First Serve understands.

Current Western Bulldogs president and Tennis Australia board member Kylie Watson-Wheeler had been mentioned to The First Serve as a potential candidate, but Tennis Australia have since confirmed that she was never in the process.

The favourite to take over the coveted CEO position is Tom Larner, who is currently the Chief Tennis Officer at Tennis Australia.

For quite some time, the view has been that Larner has been groomed for the role, having worked at Tennis Australia since 2010 as Chief Operating Officer into his current role, and having also served as CEO of Tennis Queensland in 2008-09.

It is a big decision for the Tennis Australia board to get right, as it steps into the next era beyond Tiley's long reign. 

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The narrative from Tennis HQ all along was that the dual role of CEO/Tournament Director that Tiley held would remain in place with his replacement.

An announcement by the end of May will allow the new CEO to be in place before Wimbledon, with Tiley expected to have his feet under the desk at the USTA by around mid-July.

Several internal and external candidates expressed interest in the job.

After Tiley's resignation back in February, the TA board appointed international executive search firm Egon Zehnder to manage both internal and external candidate evaluations. 

Tennis Australia's job is to manage and promote tennis across Australia and represent it internationally, developing into a significant sports and entertainment business.

What is of great interest to so many, whoever is appointed CEO, is how the structure and direction will look underneath, particularly on the tennis side of the business. 

The First Serve also understands that there has been communication between the top-end playing group on the men's side, made up of top 100 players and Grand Slam doubles champions in Australia, with new Chair Chris Harrop, current CEO Craig Tiley and possible incoming CEO Tom Larner about a more collaborative approach around the performance, player liaison, and tournament space to drive change in the performance pathway. 

They have expressed their concerns about the current set-up.

Whichever way you slice and dice it, Tiley's departure will be the catalyst for change, with not just a new CEO. There is agitation for change across the organisation.

Stand by for the unveiling of the next CEO of Tennis Australia. 

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