Craig Tiley has been appointed as the new chief executive of the United States Tennis Association (USTA) after 13 years at Tennis Australia.

Former Australian Open tournament director and Tennis Australia chief executive Tiley will replace Lew Sherr, who has joined Major League Baseball’s New York Mets.

South African Tiley, 64, will formally assume his responsibilities at USTA later this year after helping to ensure a smooth transition of leadership at Tennis Australia.

Tiley, a former college coach in the United States, said: “I’ve long admired the organisation’s leadership in growing the game across the United States and the extraordinary success of the US Open.

“I’m excited to return to American tennis and to work alongside our leadership locally and nationally to continue building the sport’s reach, impact, and future.”