REUTERS

Australian Open tournament director Craig Tiley, who was born in South Africa, hopes tennis can be revived in SA.

South African-born Craig Tiley, the Australian Open tournament director, says the country needs a high profile event to revive the status of tennis in SA.

“It is imperative for South Africa to stage a world-class event that attracts top players and interest all round the globe,” Tiley said on Saturday.

The ATP-sanctioned SA Open, which was revived three years ago after a decade in limbo, was again scrapped, while the Soweto Open has been indefinitely postponed due to the lack of a sponsor.

Tiley, a former captain of the SA Davis Cup team, said potential sponsors needed to understand the benefits of a major tournament.

“A successful, high-profile event drives interest and this is converted into participation in one way or another,” Tiley said.

“In this way the support will mushroom and grow.

“Obviously this needs government and private enterprise support, but the message must be brought home that the long-term benefits more than justify any investment.”

Tiley added that the Australian Open brought R2.4 billion of economic benefit for the state of Victoria annually – and it was growing each year.

“It is essential to think big and act boldly,” he said.

“The Australian Open is not only the springboard for creating tennis interest in Australia, but it greatly promotes the country as a tourist venue.”

Tiley pointed out that South African tennis experienced a boom with a vibrant SA Open operating in the 1970s, while Australian tennis was going through a crisis.

“I am sure there are people in South Africa who know how to get the job done,” he said.

“There are also many South Africans around the world – and others who are sympathetic – who would provide additional expertise and support to revive the game of tennis in the country.

“I personally continue to have a great interest in the progress and success of South African tennis and I am ready to provide support where I can when it is requested.”

Apart from piloting the Grand Slam tournament in Melbourne – which this year set a world record attendance of over 680,000 overall and a best-ever daily attendence of 80,000 – Tiley spent 12 successful years at the Illinois University in the United States, where he received awards as American inter-colliagate coach of the year and was honoured at the White House by president George Bush.

He coached South Africa's last top 10 world men's player, Wayne Ferreira, while at the helm of the SA Davis Cup team from 1998 to 2001, as well as numerous other ATP and South African players based in the United States.

His message to “think big” was not implemented in 2002 and ultimately resulted in his departure from the Davis Cup set-up.

Ten years later, he believes he can still make a difference. – Sapa