Steve Johnson (tennis)

Steve Johnson

Country	United States
Residence	Manhattan Beach, California, United States
Born	(1989-12-24) December 24, 1989 Orange County, California, United States
Height	1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Turned pro	2012
Plays	Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Prize money	$400,247
Singles
Career record	5-16 (in ATP World Tour and Grand Slam main draw matches)
Career titles	0
Highest ranking	No. 97 (July 8, 2013)
Current ranking	No. 147 (January 13, 2014)
Grand Slam Singles results
Australian Open	1R (2013, 2014)
French Open	1R (2013)
Wimbledon	1R (2013)
US Open	3R (2012)
Doubles
Career record	11-12 (in ATP World Tour and Grand Slam main draw matches)
Career titles	0
Highest ranking	No. 126 (August 8, 2012)
Current ranking	No. 183 (August 12, 2013)
Grand Slam Doubles results
Wimbledon	1R (2013)
US Open	2R (2012)
Grand Slam Mixed Doubles results
US Open	QF (2011)
Last updated on: August 28, 2012.

Steve "Stevie"Johnson (born December 24, 1989) is an American professional tennis player. He has won two ATP Challenger Tour titles and two ITF Futures titles. He has competed in 21 ATP World Tour-level main draw matches, including his grand slam debut at the 2011 U.S. Open. Johnson played college tennis for the USC Trojans. He won the NCAA Men's Singles Championship in his junior and senior seasons (2011-2012).^[1]

In July 2012, Johnson signed a clothing deal with Asics America and he is represented by Sam Duvall at Lagardere Unlimited. He currently trains at the USTA Player Development Center West in Carson, California. Johnson is currently working with the USTA and travels with a few other young Americans, while his personal coach is Craig Boynton, who is a USTA national coach for men's tennis. The team of Dustin Taylor and Rodney Marshall also help Steve hone his skills at the development center.

Personal life

Stevie began playing tennis at the age of two. He started out using balloons and beach balls around their Orange County home. He entered his first tournament at the age of five. His father, Steve, is a tennis coach at the Rancho San Clemente Tennis and Fitness Club, and his mother, Michelle, is a math professor. His older sister, Alison, is also a graduate of the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. Johnson's girlfriend is Kendall Bateman, a former Trojan volleyball player who holds the school record for career assists. Johnson has credited his father with his success in tennis: "He taught me pretty much everything I know. Since I can remember, it's always been me and him out there hitting balls, having a blast. It's really been amazing. I wouldn't change anything." Growing up, he idolised Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi. He has expressed an interest in European bands U2 and Coldplay. He likes to spend his free time relaxing at the beach and he drives a BMW X5. At USC, Johnson majored in human performance, but left when he was three classes short of attaining his degree. Johnson hopes to complete his degree after his tennis career.

Junior tennis

In his early career Steve's dad served as his coach. Then, he began working out at The Gate Academy with Barry Horowitz when he was 15. Steve worked out at the academy and continued working with Barry privately until he left to play for USC. Under coach Horowitz, Stevie won four consecutive 18-under national team titles, becoming the first player in tournament history to be a member of four championship teams. Johnson contributed to a 6-1 victory over Texas in the 2005 final, a 6-1 triumph over Southern in 2006 and clinched Southern California's 4-3 win the next year over Southern. Coach Horowitz was very instrumental in helping develop Steve's game for the transition from the juniors to the college game. Some of Steve's junior accomplishments include being the 2008 Kalamazoo Doubles finalist and winning the 2008 Southern California Sectional Boys 18 championship in straight sets over J.T Sundling. This marked his fourth Sectionals title and near a clean sweep of all age divisions having won the 12s, 14s and 16s. He also has the distinction of being the only player to win the Triple Crown, singles and two doubles—twice. He also won nine Gold Balls. He was ranked the third-rated California senior tennis recruit (7th overall) in the country, according to TennisRecruiting.net.^[2] Lastly, he clinched the title for Southern California at the 2007 Junior Davis Cup.

High school tennis

Johnson is a 2008 graduate of Orange High, where he won CIF singles championships in 2006 and 2007 and was named the Orange County and Los Angeles Player of the Year in both seasons. He is the only Southern Section tennis champion in the school's history. Johnson also made it a priority to play in as many team matches as possible. He missed just two because of junior tennis events and did not lose a set in team competition on his way to winning his second consecutive Golden West League title. Johnson beat former Stanford tennis player Ryan Thacher to win the Southern Section Individual Tournament when both were high school sophomores in 2006. His only high school loss of 2006 was a three-set defeat in the semifinals of Ojai to eventual champion Jason Jung of West Torrance. He then defended his title by beating current UCLA tennis player Alex Brigham. The victories made Johnson the first back-to-back singles winner since Tom Leonard of Arcadia in 1965 and 1966. He also became the eighth player to repeat as champion and the fourth to win the title after losing the first set at love (Leonard in 1965, Barry Buss in 1982, and Phil Sheng in 1999 each won titles after losing the first set at love). Johnson was the Orange County boys tennis player of the year as a sophomore and junior at Orange, but, like so many top players do, opted to not play high school tennis his senior year.

College tennis

Johnson chose to play college tennis for the University of Southern California. Johnson on his decision," I chose USC because I felt like I had a great relationship with Peter and I got along with the team really well." As a sophomore, he was selected to represent the United States in the fourth annual Master'U BNP Paribas, an intercollegiate competition in which eight countries from around the world will play for the title. As a junior he captured the 2010–11 NCAA Singles Championship, defeating Rhyne Williams in the final. In his senior season, he captured the 2011–2012 NCAA Singles Championship, defeating Kentucky's Eric Quigley in the final, overcoming a strained abdomen and shin splints and a bout of food poisoning to retain his title. As a freshman, Johnson was selected to All-Pac-10 First Team, as well as being named the Pac-10 Doubles Team of the Year with Robert Farah. He also reached the final of the Pac-10 singles championship match and he won the ITA Regionals Doubles Championship with Farah. As a sophomore, he was also selected to the All-Pac-10 First Team and was the named the Pac-10 Doubles Team of the Year with Farah once again as well as winning the ITA Southwest Regionals doubles championship with Farah. Furthermore, as a sophomore he won the ITA National Indoor championship. As a junior, he also won the 2011 Pac-10 Singles and Doubles Title with Raymond Sarmiento. In addition, he was selected as the NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player and to the NCAA All-Tournament Team for singles. His exploits saw Johnson named as the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Player of the Year for the 2010–11 and 2011–2012 seasons, as well as the 2010–2011 and 2011–2012 Pac-12 Men's Player of the Year. In his college career, he became a seven-time Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) All-American, two-time NCAA Singles Champion, and he captured the team title for the Trojans in all four of his years there. Furthermore, he ended his college career with an unprecedented 72 match win streak. "The biggest thing that I have learned from college tennis is to play aggressive while playing within myself and to never give up because every dual match could end up being decided on your court." These exploits led to Johnson's becoming the most decorated college player of all time.^[3]

ITF Futures Circuit

Stevie has competed in 12 Futures tournaments in his career for singles, all of them being in the United States. He has been in 3 finals, winning two of them. He lost the 2011 Sacramento Futures tournament to Daniel Kosakowski in 3 sets. However, later in 2011, Stevie won consecutive tournaments in the Claremont and Costa Mesa futures tournaments respectively beating Darian King and Artem Sitak in straight sets. Stevie has competed in various Futures tournaments since 2006 as a high schooler, and he won his first match and earned his first point the following year. Stevie has compiled an overall record of 23 wins and 10 losses on the Futures Tour as well as winning Despite a good outing in singles on the Futures Tour, Stevie is 2-6 in doubles on the Futures Tour earning a mere Stevie no longer competes on the Futures Tour as he competes mainly on the ATP Challenger Tour as well as the ATP World Tour.

ATP Challenger Tour

Stevie has competed in 27 Challenger tournaments in his career for singles in the United States, Turkey, Canada, and France. He won his first challenger tournament in the Comerica Bank Challenger played in Aptos, California. He won it in the summer of 2012, before the 2012 U.S. Open. In the finals, he defeated Robert Farah in straight sets, 6-3,6-3, gaining 100 points, as well as Farah is his good friend and former Trojan teammate where they played doubles together and won 2 NCAA Championships for USC. A month after his win in Aptos, Stevie competed in 2 challenger tournaments in Turkey and France. In Izmir, Turkey, Stevie reached the semifinals and won three matches to get there. In Orléans, France, Stevie reached the second round and lost to the no.2 seed David Goffin of Belgium. However, the match was tightly contested as Goffin squeezed out a win and won 7-5,6-4. A couple of weeks later in the 2012 Tiburon Challenger, Stevie was ousted in the semifinals by Jack Sock 4-6,6-7(4). Next, Johnson competed in the 2012 Charlottesville Challenger but fell to Rhyne Williams in the Round of 16. Johnson planned on playing in the Knoxville Challenger as well as the JSM Challenger of Champaign–Urbana to finish the year, but a shoulder injury forced him to pull out. The shoulder injury also forced him to miss the Australian Open Wild Card Playoffs. Stevie has compiled an overall record of 32 wins and 18 losses on the Challenger Tour and has earned In doubles, Stevie has had equal success on the Challenger Tour compiling an overall record of 13 wins and 8 losses including a title in Knoxville, Tennessee with Austin Krajicek in 2011. He also made it to the finals in the 2011 Tiburon challenger partnered with Sam Querrey, but they lost 6-10 in the 3rd set super tie-breaker. In 2012, Stevie reached the semifinals in Tiburon partnered with Robert Farah, as the #1 seeds. Johnson played doubles in the 2013 Maui Challenger being seeded no.2 and reached the semifinals as his partner was Alex Bogomolov, Jr. Johnson played singles and doubles in the 2013 Sarasota Open. In singles, he lost in the quarterfinals to the eventual champion, Alex Kuznetsov,2-6,6-3,1-6. In doubles, he partnered with Bradley Klahn, and they won three matches to reach the finals but lost 7-6(5),6-7(3),9-11. Johnson played three more clay challengers before the French Open and lost in the first round in each. After a successful French Open, Johnson won his second career challenger at the Aegon Nottingham Challenger defating Ruben Bemelmans in the finals. Winning this tournament, helped grant him a wildcard into Wimbledon.

ATP World Tour

2011

Johnson started the year in Indian Wells where he lost in the first round of qualifying in three tight sets to Frank Dancevic. Shortly after his college season, Johnson received a wild card into the 2011 Farmers Classic where he lost in the first round to Gilles Müller in three sets. Johnson then competed in qualifying of the 2011 Western & Southern Open. After scoring his first win over a top 100 player in the first round, Jérémy Chardy, he lost in the following round to Édouard Roger-Vasselin. Winning the 2011 individual NCAA championships, Johnson received a wild card to the main draw of the 2011 US Open. He played his first career grand slam match against Alex Bogomolov, Jr. and lost in five tight sets where he had a two sets to love lead.

In the 2011 Western & Southern Open, Johnson reached the quarterfinals partnered with Alex Bogomolov, Jr., and along the way defeated the no. 2 doubles team of Mirnyi/Nestor subsequently gaining 180 points. At the 2011 US Open, Johnson partnered with Denis Kudla but they lost badly in straight sets to Marcelo Melo and Bruno Soares.In the 2012 Farmers Classic, Johnson partnered up with Sam Querrey, and they reached the semifinals. Next, in the 2012 Citi Open, Johnson reached the semifinals once again, partnered with Drew Courtney.

2012

Johnson received a wild card into the 2012 SAP Open but lost in two tie-breakers to Steve Darcis. Johnson registered his first ATP win in a main draw against Donald Young in the 2012 BB&T Atlanta Open. However, in the second round Johnson lost to Jack Sock, 6-7⁽⁵⁾, 6-7⁽⁵⁾. Johnson received a wild card into the 2012 Farmers Classic, but lost to Igor Sijsling in straight sets. Johnson received an another wild card into the 2012 Citi Open, but lost to Benjamin Becker in straight sets. Johnson reached the third round of the 2012 US Open, where he had received a wild card for winning the individual NCAA championships once again. In the first round, Johnson beat Rajeev Ram and in the second round, Johnson advanced by defeating Ernests Gulbis. In the third round, Johnson lost to 13th seeded Richard Gasquet.

In the 2012 Campbell's Hall of Fame Tennis Championships, Johnson partnered with Denis Kudla, but they lost in the first round. Competing in the 2012 BB&T Atlanta Open, Johnson partnered with fellow American Jack Sock, but they lost in a super tie-breaker in the first round. In the 2012 Farmers Classic, Johnson partnered up with Sam Querrey, and they reached the semifinals. Next, in the 2012 Citi Open, Johnson reached the semifinals once again, partnered with Drew Courtney. In the 2012 US Open, Johnson received a wild card to the main draw and partnered with Jack Sock. In the first round they defeated the no. 1 doubles team of Mirnyi/Nestor, 1-6, 7-6⁽⁴⁾, 6-2. However they lost in the second round to František Čermák and Michal Mertiňák, 4-6, 5-7.

2013

In the 2013 Australian Open, Johnson won three qualifying matches to reach the main draw. In the first round of the main draw, he took tenth seed Nicolás Almagro the distance, but lost 5-7, 7-6⁽⁴⁾, 2-6, 7-6⁽⁶⁾, 2-6. Next, in the 2013 SAP Open, Johnson received a wild card to the main draw. In the first round, he defeated former top-20 player Ivo Karlović, 6-7⁽²⁾, 6-4, 7-6⁽⁶⁾. In the second round, Johnson defeated Tim Smyczek, reaching his first quarterfinal. However, in the quarterfinals, Johnson lost to eventual finalist Tommy Haas, 4-6, 2-6. Overall, Johnson compiled a 5-13 record in singles. In doubles, Johnson attained a career-high ranking of no. 126.

Johnson partnered with Jack Sock in the 2013 SAP Open, but they lost to the no. 1 doubles team of Mike and Bob Bryan, 6-7⁽³⁾, 6-7⁽⁵⁾. Johnson once again partnered with Sock in the U.S. Men's Clay Court Championships, and they reached the round of 16. Overall, Johnson has attained a doubles record of 8-9.

Johnson went to the 2013 French Open, qualifying for the first time^[4] and made it through to the main draw before losing in the first round to Albert Montañés, who had just won Nice^[5] the previous week. Receiving a wildcard into the maindraw of Wimbledon, Johnson lost a tight first round match to fellow American Bobby Reynolds 6-1, 6-7(4), 3-6, 7-6(4), 4-6. In the 2013 Citi Open, Johnson lost in the first round to Radek Štěpánek in straight sets. In the 2013 Winston-Salem Open, Johnson won three qualifying matches to reach the main draw and have a rematch with Bobby Reynolds.

World Team Tennis

Steve Johnson was selected fifth overall in the Mylan World TeamTennis Roster Draft by the Orange County Breakers. Johnson was joined by his father, who was an assistant coach on the team. Despite ultimately placing third in the Western Conference, Johnson was the No. 2 men’s singles player in the league, amassing a 62-47 record for the season. He was equally successful in men’s doubles, pairing with doubles specialist Treat Huey to go 64-53. In the middle of the season, Johnson helped lead the Breakers to four consecutive victories. During the season, Johnson had victories over Andy Roddick in singles and doubles, as well as doubles victories over the Bryan brothers, and tennis legend John McEnroe. On July 20, Johnson landed himself as the #4 spot on the top plays of SportsCenter that evening against Alex Bogomolov, Jr. of the Texas Wild with an amazing rally that ended with Johnson slipping and sliding for a volley winner. Steve made a successful debut with the Breakers in his first season leading him to be named the Mylan WTT Male Rookie of the Year.

Career finals (5)

Singles: 2 (2–0)

Outcome	No.	Date	Tournament	Surface	Opponent	Score
Winner	1.	August 12, 2012	Aptos, US	Hard	Robert Farah	6–3, 6–3
Winner	2.	June 15, 2013	Nottingham, UK	Grass	Ruben Bemelmans	7–5, 7–5

Doubles: 1 (1–2)

Outcome	No.	Date	Tournament	Surface	Partner	Opponents	Score
Winner	1.	September 4, 2011	Knoxville, United States	Hard	Austin Krajicek	Adam Hubble Frederik Nielsen	3–6, 6–4, [13–11]

Singles performance timeline

Tournament	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	W–L
Grand Slam Tournaments
Australian Open	A	A	A	1R		0–1
French Open	A	A	A	1R		0–1
Wimbledon	A	A	A	1R		0–1
US Open	Q1	1R	3R	1R		2–3
Win–Loss	0–0	0–1	2–1	0–4		2–6
Career statistics
Titles–Finals	0–0	0–0	0–0	0–0		0–0
Year End Ranking	636	372	175	156

Doubles performance timeline

Tournament	2011	2012	2013	2014	W–L
Grand Slam Tournaments
Australian Open					0–0
French Open					0–0
Wimbledon			1R		0–1
US Open	1R	2R	1R		1–3
Win–Loss	0–1	1–1	0–2		1–4
Career statistics
Titles–Finals	0–0	0–0	0–0		0–0

References

External links

• Steve Johnson at the Association of Tennis Professionals
• Steve Johnson at the International Tennis Federation

v t e Association of Tennis Professionals: Top ten American male singles tennis players as of 27 January 2014 1. John Isner (13 ) 2. Sam Querrey (49 2) 3. Donald Young (79 12) 4. Bradley Klahn (82 11) 5. Jack Sock (89 6) 6. Michael Russell (97 7) 7. Tim Smyczek (100 10) 8. Denis Kudla (109 4) 9. Ryan Harrison (121 11) 10.Rhyne Williams (124 6)