An Exclusive with Brian Dillman, CEO of USPTA

Brian Dillman’s path to becoming the CEO of the USPTA is as captivating as his vision for the future of tennis. From humble beginnings in Dallas, Texas to his involvement in one of the world’s biggest sponsorship deals, Brian’s journey is nothing short of inspiring. We caught up with Brian to delve into his story, his passion for tennis, and his ambitious plans for the USPTA.  

“I started playing tennis because I couldn't swim,” Brian began, his smile widening as he recalled his early days. Growing up and training in Dallas, Brian developed into a nationally ranked junior among other talented players. One of Brian’s most memorable matches was against a young Pete Sampras. “I got a chance to lose to Pete,” he said, chuckling. "He was 12, I was 16."

Above: Florida Tennis Editor and Publisher Matt Pressman interviews USPTA CEO Brian Dillman at USPTA at USPTA HQ in Lake Nona, FL. Source: Florida Tennis.

After graduating from the University of Illinois, where Brian was a valued member of the men’s tennis team, he became certified with the USPTA by John Ingram in 1991. Just a few years later, he interviewed for a sales job with Wilson. “I got really lucky. I came in second place. Thank goodness the first guy did not take the job,” Brian exclaims.

One of Brian’s most notable achievements at Wilson was negotiating a lifetime deal with Roger Federer.  “We were at a standstill during the negotiation. Roger’s agent, Tony Godsick, called us and said, ‘Roger wants to have a call with you guys.’ Brian emphasized that this meeting was no longer through the agent, implying its critical importance to both Wilson and Roger. Roger goes on to say 'I know we're far apart. I know you have budgets. But I'm going to win more Grand Slams than anybody else. Do you want to be the guys that tried to save money to lose me, or do you want to be the guys who signed me when I win the most Grand Slams?'”

“Not much you can say to that kind of confidence…” Brian adds. Roger went on to sign a lifetime sponsorship deal with Wilson.

Above: USPTA CEO Brian Dillman. Photo:   USPTA.

The USPTA’s mission is clear in educating professionals to help them grow, learn, and advance in their careers. For aspiring tennis professionals, the USPTA offers a supportive community. “There's a network here, a community. We have 17 divisions across the United States with volunteer and paid leadership. They support professionals in continuing education, meeting new people, getting jobs, writing resumes, learning how to interview, and networking.”

Florida, Brian noted, remains a key state for the USPTA. “Florida has always been kind of the mecca of tennis. Hard to say as a Texan, but Florida is where tennis happens, where pros live. Our leadership here has done an amazing job bringing together people from private clubs, the public sector, building a close network.”

As Brian leads the USPTA into the future, his passion and commitment to the sport are evident. “If you're a career professional in this business, you care about the industry and the business. Anything we can do to help advance those careers and that education is how we can help.”

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Written by Florida Tennis Associate Editor and Marketing Manager Jessica Bergen. Top Photo (from left to right): Florida Tennis Editor and Publisher Matt Pressman with USPTA CEO Brian Dillman at USPTA HQ in Lake Nona, FL. Photo credit: Jessica Bergen / Florida Tennis.