Former Australian Open boss McNamee could be back

Paul McNemee, who guided the Australian Open to its current top status for a decade until 2006, may be poised for a comeback to tennis administration.

Since leaving Melbourne Park in a shake-up, the former Wiimbledon doubles champion has worked in sports administration in both golf and tennis.

McNamee, 53, was nudged from his latest post at the Melbourne Demons Australian Rules football club last month in a spring power struggle after less than a year on the job. He previously headed the Australian golf circuit after his March, 2006 departure from Tennis Australia (TA).

But now, with the administrative body for the once-mighty tennis power in crisis, McNamee's name is being mentioned for a possible return, though he insists he does not want to deal directly with the Open.

"You never rule anything out. I don't want to go back near the Australian Open because I've done that and that's for others to move to now," he said.

"But just the sport generally, given that we were such a great tennis nation. I'd certainly love to offer some help to try and get our sport back in shape."

Bosses at TA are said to be under fire including long-time president Geoff Pollard, and Craig Tiley, who replaced McNamee as tournament director at the Grand Slam and who drew heavy fire for scheduling a post-midnight stat for a Lleyton Hewitt match this year which ended nearly at dawn.

"I've only just come out of the job market," said McNamee. "I'm glad there's a lot of desire to get me back involved, but it's not really easy for me to understand how I could do that."