Steve Johnson, a retired professional tennis player, recently shared a revealing and humorous account of a match that nearly pushed him to quit the sport. The American vividly recalled his 2019 encounter with Jannik Sinner during the ATP tournament in Rome—a moment that, in hindsight, marked a turning point in Jannik sinner career .
At the time, Johnson was ranked 59th in the world and feeling confident. Sinner, on the other hand, was a 17-year-old wildcard with little ATP-level experience. The match began as Johnson expected, with him dominating the first set 6-1. However, the young Italian staged a remarkable comeback, winning the second set 6-1 and clinching the deciding set 7-5.
Despite leading 4-1 in the third set and holding match point at 5-3, Johnson couldn’t close out the match. Speaking about the loss, Johnson confessed, “I felt ashamed. I called my agent and said I was retiring. I couldn’t accept losing to a kid I thought wasn’t good enough.”
Johnson’s agent and coach, however, urged him to reconsider, predicting that Sinner would become a top player. Though Johnson initially dismissed their optimism.that match became Jannik Sinner career turning point.He quickly proved them right. Within a year, Sinner reached the quarterfinals of Roland Garros, defeating Alexander Zverev and challenging Rafael Nadal, cementing his status as a rising star in tennis.
Looking back, Johnson now laughs at the incident. “I’m proud to have been part of tennis history in my own small way. I never imagined that skinny teenager would become one of the best players in the world,” he remarked.
Sinner’s victory over Johnson was a pivotal moment in his journey to becoming a tennis powerhouse. Today, as Sinner continues to climb the ranks, Johnson’s story stands as a testament to how quickly fortunes can change in professional sports.