Future of American Tennis: Craig Tiley Interview and Pegula & Paul Clay Titles
Key Takeaways
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Craig Tiley joins USTA for big swings
“I left Tennis Australia after 20 years to take big swings at the USTA.”
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NIL changes create a college tennis crisis
“College tennis is facing a crisis due to NIL and scholarship changes.”
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USTA targets thirty-five million players by 2035
“Our 35 by 35 strategy focuses on building massive tennis participation.”
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Tennis requires a unified global season structure
“Solving the tennis calendar and the off-season crisis is a priority.”
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USTA explores new US Open wild cards
“We are looking at a new path to US Open wild cards.”
Episode Description
In this special episode of Served, Andy Roddick and crew are on the ground at the 2026 USTA Annual Meeting to sit down with the incoming CEO of the USTA, Craig Tiley, and President Brian Vahaly. Craig Tiley reveals the real reason he left Tennis Australia after 20 years to take "big swings" at the USTA. We dive deep into the current "crisis" facing college tennis, the impact of NIL on American scholarships, and the goal of building tennis participation in America. Plus, Andy shares a legendary story about Michael Chang and the power of sportsmanship. COMMENT BELOW: What was your favorite part from the Craig Tiley interview? 📩 Sign up for the Newsletter here: https://servedmedia.substack.com/ Check out some Served Merch: https://store.servedpodcast.com/ 📱If you're new to the Served with Andy Roddick, we're happy you're here! Follow us for more: https://www.instagram.com/servedpodcast/ https://x.com/Served_Podcast https://www.tiktok.com/@served_podcast Theme music composed, produced, and mixed by Dan Whittemore. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dwhit.wav/ TIMESTAMPS: 0:00 Introduction 1:29 Welcome to Served 2:56 Racket Rundown: Jess Pegula Defends Charleston Title 4:26 Racket Rundown: 19-Year-Old Rafael Hodar Wins in Morocco 6:28 Racket Rundown: Tommy Paul’s Grit in Houston 7:47 Poll Results: The Next American Disruptor on Clay 9:03 Coaching Drama: Francisco Roig & Player-Coach Relationships 12:12 Andy Roddick interview Craig Tiley & Brian Vahaly 14:41 Why Craig Tiley Chose the USTA 18:50 Brian Vahaly on the Global CEO Search 23:06 Solving the Tennis Calendar & Off-Season Crisis 24:28 Is College Tennis in Crisis? NIL and Scholarships 27:54 The "35 by 35" Growth Strategy 31:32 Scaling Innovation from Australia to the USA 33:15 Q&A: Fostering a Love for Tennis in Kids 36:14 Q&A: Controlling the Controllable on Court 38:46 Q&A: Prioritizing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion 41:08 Q&A: What is Craig Tiley excited about? 43:05 Q&A: Expanding Women in Leadership 45:11 Q&A: A New Path to US Open Wild Cards? 48:48 Q&A: Incentivizing Coaches to Grow the Game 50:30 Q&A: The Future of Innovation at the US Open 53:00 Andy’s Iconic Match vs. Michael Chang 55:24 Craig Asks Andy: The Power of Hitting Against the Wall 58:13 Final Thoughts & Wrap Up Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices