Hunter, born and raised in the picturesque ski town of Taos, New Mexico, embarked on a remarkable athletic journey that began with a deep passion for tennis. He pursued his dreams at the collegiate level, earning a scholarship to play Division I tennis at Southern Methodist University (SMU) in Dallas, TX. Alongside his twin brother Yates, Hunter etched their names in school history as the winningest doubles team, achieving a career-high ranking of 15 in the country in doubles and 30 in singles.
Following graduation, Hunter dedicated four years to honing his skills on the Tennis Pro Tour in doubles, where he notched an impressive tally of 14 professional titles, including victories over top players like Alexander Zverev and Felix Auger-Aliassime. One of the highlights of his career was the opportunity to practice with the legendary Roger Federer. Despite reaching a career-high ATP Doubles ranking of 198 in the world, Hunter made the difficult decision to bid farewell to tennis at the end of 2021, transitioning along with his twin brother to compete full-time in professional pickleball.
Since making the switch, Hunter has emerged as a formidable force on the pickleball circuit, climbing the ranks to become the 2nd best player in the world in DUPR Singles rankings at one point. His tenacity and skill have propelled him to numerous accolades, including consecutive 4th place finishes in singles at nationals and selection in the premier drafts of Major League Pickleball (MLP), representing the Atlanta Bouncers and currently the LA Mad Drops.
With unwavering determination, Hunter continues to pursue his goal of becoming the top pickleball player in the world, showcasing his resilience and passion on every step of his extraordinary journey.
PPA Tour: Veolia Lakeland Open
Bracket Completed
Gold:
Roscoe Bellamy
Silver:
Hunter Johnson
Bronze:
Noe Khlif
Bracket Completed
Match #18
Nov 20
Jade Kawamoto, Hunter Johnson
G1
11
-1
G2
11
-3
Carlos Di Laura III, Pierina Imparato
G1
11
1
G2
11
3
Match #42
Nov 20
Jalina Ingram, John Lucian Goins
G1
9
-11
G2
6
-11
Hunter Johnson, Jade Kawamoto
G1
9
11
G2
6
11
Match #54
Nov 20
Jessie Irvine, Gabriel Tardio
G1
6
-11
G2
11
-3
G3
11
-6
Hunter Johnson, Jade Kawamoto
G1
6
11
G2
11
3
G3
11
6
Gold:
Anna Leigh Waters / Ben Johns
Silver:
Jorja Johnson / JW Johnson
Bronze:
Anna Bright / Eric Oncins
Bracket Completed
Match #25
Nov 21
Augustus Ge, Hunter Johnson
G1
10
-12
G2
11
-8
G3
11
-5
Christopher Haworth, Grayson Goldin
G1
10
12
G2
11
8
G3
11
5
Match #36
Nov 21
Augustus Ge, Hunter Johnson
G1
11
-3
G2
11
-7
Rafa Hewett, Wyatt Stone
G1
11
3
G2
11
7
Match #41
Nov 21
Andrei Daescu, Christian Alshon
G1
11
-2
G2
11
-8
Augustus Ge, Hunter Johnson
G1
11
2
G2
11
8
Gold:
Gabriel Tardio / Ben Johns
Silver:
Andrei Daescu / Christian Alshon
Bronze:
JW Johnson / Cj Klinger