Brian Vahaly Elected USTA Chairman of the Board and President
NEW YORK – Virginia men’s tennis alum Brian Vahaly has been elected the USTA Chairman of the Board and President for a two-year term that begins on January 1, 2025, as announced today (Nov. 18) by the United States Tennis Association.
The Board is responsible for setting organizational strategy and overseeing financials for the USTA, the national governing body for tennis in the United States.
Vahaly will assume the role from outgoing Chairman Dr. Brian Hainline, who served from 2023-2024. Vahaly will become the youngest chairman of any Grand Slam and the first member of the LGBTQ community to serve in the role.
Additionally, Vahaly has named Virginia men’s tennis head coach Andrés Pedroso as a USTA Presidential Appointee, serving in a board-adjacent role.
“It’s an honor to be working alongside such a talented and passionate group of individuals,” Vahaly said. “Each Board member brings a unique perspective, and together, we’re a team driven by a deep commitment to the game we all love.”
Vahaly played on UVA’s tennis team from 1997 to 2001. He was the ACC Rookie of the Year in his first season with the Cavaliers, becoming UVA’s first tennis All-American in 1999. He was ranked as high as No. 2 in singles, finishing as an NCAA Finalist in 2001, and was the first-ever UVA player to earn a No. 1 ranking in doubles (with Huntley Montgomery). He ended his collegiate career as a three-time All-American and a two-time ACC Player of the Year. He had his jersey retired at UVA in January 2011.
Vahaly played professional tennis for seven years, reaching a world ranking of No. 64. He was the only male college graduate in the ATP Top 100 at the time and remains the only current or former ATP player to publicly come out as a member of the LGBTQ+ community. His run to the 2003 Indian Wells singles quarterfinals included defeating No. 1 Juan Carlos Ferrero and he owns a victory against the No. 1 doubles team of Bob and Mike Bryan while teaming with Andy Roddick.
Since retiring from professional tennis, Vahaly has distinguished himself as a respected chief executive with a track record of success in operational turnarounds, driving growth and improving profitability for private equity-backed, early-stage companies in the health and wellness sector.
“My focus as Chairman and President will be on applying a business-minded, data-driven approach to build on the incredible growth we’ve seen in the last five years to reach our goal of 35 million players by 2035,” Vahaly said. “We will enhance digital and recreational play opportunities, expand court access, grow our network of outstanding coaches, and support American stars to inspire the next generation of players. Each one of us has the opportunity to make sure the benefits of tennis as the world’s healthiest sport are accessible to everyone. Together, we can create a space where anyone, no matter their background, feels welcome and inspired to play.”
Pedroso has helped lead the Cavaliers to three NCAA team titles, two as head coach (2022-23) and one as an associate head coach (2013). He was named the Wilson ITA Men’s Tennis National Coach of the year in both 2022 and 2023, the only coach since the award began in 1973 to earn the honor in back-to-back seasons. He is a three-time ACC Coach of the Year and Wilson ITA Atlantic Region Head Coach of the Year three with his players earning three ACC Player of the Year awards, 12 All-America designations, 26 All-ACC honors and voted to six Academic All-America teams.
Pedroso first came to Virginia in 2010 after serving as a national coach for USTA Player Development. During his time with the USTA, he was responsible for the development of the top male American junior players born in 1995. He also worked periodically with several top American professional players, including Sam Querrey, Mardy Fish, Jesse Levine and Ryan Harrison.
“Over the last 25 years, I have watched Brian build his career by creating purposeful, well-organized plans and seeing them through with a level of discipline that has differentiated him from much of the competition,” Pedroso said. “This is how he operated as a world-class tennis player, and how I know he has approached his time working in the private equity world. I am looking forward to witnessing the impact that Brian’s deliberate and relentless approach to winning has on American Tennis, and I am honored to play a supporting role in Brian’s leadership. On behalf of everyone associated with UVA Tennis, we are so proud to have one of our very own as the Chairman of the Board and President of the USTA.”