Yates Johnson, originally from the scenic ski town of Taos, New Mexico, grew up immersed in various sports such as tennis, baseball, hockey, soccer, and skiing. Eventually, Yates and his twin brother Hunter made the decision to focus exclusively on tennis, putting their hearts into the sport.
Yates attended The University of Louisiana at Lafayette on a tennis scholarship before transferring to SMU in Dallas, TX. As a doubles team, Yates and Hunter became the winningest duo in SMU history, achieving a career-high ranking of 15 in the country. Yates also played a key role in SMU's first NCAA Sweet 16 appearance in 23 years.
In 2021, Yates bid farewell to tennis and became one of many to transition to Professional Pickleball. Since then, he has quickly established himself in the pickleball community, earning a Bronze Medal at the PPAs Baird Wealth Management Grand Slam event in Cincinnati. In 2022 he continued his success in doubles with his brother Hunter, and in singles. Yates's passion for pickleball continues to grow, and he looks forward to an exciting 2023 season.
