The Most Impressive Winning Streak You've Never Heard Of

By Blair Henley

Photo Credit: Rob Varela

Steve who?

That seems to be the most common reaction outside college tennis circles at the mention of University of Southern California player, Steve Johnson. The 22-year-old has largely managed to stay out of the national spotlight despite notching one of the most impressive winning streaks in college tennis history.

Johnson completed his collegiate career in late May having won two straight NCAA singles titles and becoming the first men’s singles champion to have helped his team to four straight NCAA team titles. That's an extraordinary run by any standard. But consider that Johnson did not lose a single match in his final two years of competition -- that's 72 straight wins.

That mind-boggling streak is even more impressive by the fact that Johnson was in college. That’s the equivalent of holding two full time jobs -- that of the student, and that of the athlete. Not to mention, as part of USC's tennis dynasty, Johnson was competing against the absolute best in the country.

By the time this year’s NCAA tournament rolled around, the relentless pounding on Johnson's body had taken its toll. In the days before capturing his second title, he overcame shin splints, a strained abdomen, and a nasty case of food poisoning in order to keep his streak -- and his chances for an NCAA win -- alive. USC coach, Peter Smith, knew Johnson would finish the amazing feat that lied ahead of him.

"I knew if he could see the finish line, he'd get through it," Smith said. "Because that's the kind of kid he is."

Thanks to his tournament victory, the Orange County, Calif., native will once again receive a wildcard into the U.S. Open main draw. He undoubtedly hopes to improve on last year's result where he lost a tight five-setter to then-No. 44 Alex Bogomolov Jr. Since his defeat, Johnson has been able to get his own ranking inside the top 400 by playing professional tournaments in the college off-season, but expect that number to improve now that he is a full-time touring pro.

The newly-minted college graduate debated whether or not to make the jump into the pro ranks after his junior year, but after a talk with University of Georgia grad John Isner (whose world ranking now sits at No. 11), Johnson decided to complete his education.

"The one thing he told me was, you're not going to be too old [if you decide to finish your college career]," Johnson said. "Look at the guys now, the older guys are doing much better, so set goals, prepare and try to get better."

If he achieves anything close to the level of success that Isner has seen, Steve Johnson will be a household name in no time.