By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Tuesday March 5, 2024
Former World No.21 Steve Johnson called curtains on a fantastic career on Monday night at the BNP Paribas Open, the two-time NCAA champion falling to American Emilio Nava on Stadium 3 (6-7(6), 7-6(10), 6-4, seven match points squandered) before being acknowledged by an enthusiastic crowd that saw him off in style.
34-year-old Johnson, a winner of 197 ATP matches and four titles, made the most of his career, and was a fixture among the American men over the course of his career.
The Southern California native was happy to say goodbye on his home turf. He spent a long time after the match, shedding tears, hugging friends and family, and receiving congratulations from fans.
Johnson was an emotional favorite of many fans who watched him process the loss of his father in May of 2017 in the public eye. He shared a deep bond with his father and broke down in tears when talking about it at Roland-Garros later that month.
“For me it's just the culmination of everything that's been basically my life, tennis itself, for multiple decades,” Johnson told ATPTour.com. “To have [my family] here, this is why this venue and this event is so special to me. I grew up coming here as a kid with my dad and family every year. To see how it's grown and see everything that this event has turned into, from where it started, this has always been my favorite place to be. There was no other place that I really wanted my last tournament to be. It was here, and I'm very fortunate that I was able to make that a reality.”
Johnson also won a Bronze medal in Mixed Doubles in the 2016 Rio Olympic games, and he was a two-time US Open men’s doubles semifinalist.