MELBOURNE, May 25 (Reuters) - Tennis Australia has appointed National Rugby League (NRL) boss Andrew Abdo as its new chief executive, replacing the long-serving Craig Tiley.
The governing body that organises the Australian Open, one of the sport's four Grand Slam tournaments, had been searching for a replacement for Tiley since the South African confirmed in February he would step down to become the United States Tennis Association's new CEO.
A South Africa-born administrator like Tiley, Abdo's appointment
follows a six-year stint as CEO of the NRL, one of Australia's major winter sport competitions.
The NRL said that Abdo would remain in his position until July 15 to ensure a smooth transition and complete broadcast negotiations for the league.
"Tennis Australia has a unique role in Australian sport. The Australian Open is already one of the leading sporting events in the world," Abdo said in a Tennis Australia statement on Monday.
"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."
Tiley, who led TA for 13 years and the Australian Open for 20, transformed the Australian Open into one of the world's most successful sporting events, continually breaking attendance and revenue records.
He said in Monday's statement that he would remain with the governing body for a period to ensure a smooth transition.
"Andrew Abdo is an outstanding appointment and I am confident he will continue to build on this strong foundation," Tiley said.
(Reporting by Ian Ransom in MelbourneEditing by David Goodman)
