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: Indoor National Championships
Bracket Completed
Gold:
Hunter Johnson
Silver:
Christopher Haworth
Bronze:
Roscoe Bellamy
Bracket Completed
Match #2
Jan 20
Callie Smith, Hunter Johnson
G1
11
-5
G2
11
-6
Luc Pham, Ella Cosma
G1
11
5
G2
11
6
Match #32
Jan 21
Callie Smith, Hunter Johnson
G1
11
-5
G2
11
-6
Rafa Hewett, Valerie R Simon
G1
11
5
G2
11
6
Match #47
Jan 22
Anna Bright, Hayden Patriquin
G1
11
-1
G2
11
-3
Hunter Johnson, Callie Smith
G1
11
1
G2
11
3
Gold:
Tyra Hurricane Black / Christian Alshon
Silver:
Anna Bright / Hayden Patriquin
Bronze:
Parris Todd / Andrei Daescu
Bracket Completed
Match #11
Jan 21
Blaine Hovenier, Hunter Johnson
G1
11
-4
G2
8
-11
G3
11
-7
Yuta Funemizu, AJ Koller
G1
11
4
G2
8
11
G3
11
7
Match #27
Jan 22
Andrei Daescu, Gabriel Tardio
G1
11
-0
G2
11
-3
Blaine Hovenier, Hunter Johnson
G1
11
0
G2
11
3
Gold:
Andrei Daescu / Gabriel Tardio
Silver:
Christian Alshon / Hayden Patriquin
Bronze:
Eric Oncins / Dylan Frazier