Yates Johnson Reveals Truth: Professional pickleball player Yates Johnson recently shared what it’s like to team up with his twin brother, Hunter Johnson, in men’s doubles matches. Despite their occasional on-court clashes, Yates says the bond they share as twins makes their partnership unique and meaningful.
Twin Connection Fuels Competitive Fire
Hunter and Yates Johnson bring more than just skill to the court—they bring a lifetime of shared experience. The brothers, known on tour for their fiery chemistry, often partner up in men’s doubles, though it isn’t always smooth sailing.
“There’s some brotherly love there, but we’re also butting heads sometimes. Maybe coaching too much or fighting. People always say we’re fighting on the court, but it’s not really fighting. We’re just blunt and to the point because we already know what the other is thinking.” – (Yates)
While they don’t claim to have true “twin telepathy,” they do have a strong, silent communication style.
“It’s interesting because we can’t read each other’s minds, but we can definitely sit across the stadium from each other, mouth words to each other, and get what each other are saying without even really speaking.” – (Yates)
“We’re going to play some tournaments together, but we’ll try to keep our words to a minimum. Our major deficit for us is we’re too spiffy with each other when we’re talking on the court.” – (Yates)
Who’s the Leader on Court?
One of their biggest challenges is figuring out team roles. As twins—and competitors—both want to lead.
“I think the biggest thing for us is figuring out who needs to be the alpha or the leader. Both of us are always trying to do that, so one of us needs to give in.” – (Yates)
Yates eventually decided to step back.
“I said, ‘Okay, I’ll be the right side guy.’ I’m older by 22 minutes, so I took the higher ground. That’s where most of the arguing and miscommunication comes from that people see on the court, when we’ll say ‘Hey! Switch sides, you’re not playing well.’ I think it’s just about owning your spot and communicating through that.” – (Yates)
Still, the roles can change match to match.
“That’s the problem, that we didn’t determine who’s the left or right side. It just depends on the day, or we’ll just play straight up and see how it is. Sometimes one of us feels the left more on that day, so they’ll play the left. And if they’re feeling the right more, they’ll play the right. But it definitely does help making it a little more clear whose role is what.” – (Yates)
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Taking Breaks Strengthens Their Game
While the Johnson twins share a strong connection, they’ve also chosen to play with other partners more often in recent seasons.
“I think it’s good that we took a little break from playing together because we went from playing together in junior tennis, playing in college, and then four years together in pro tennis. Sometimes you need a good little break and you need some space from each other.” – (Yates)
Yates admitted that playing with non-family members can be easier emotionally.
“And sometimes, it is more fun playing with other people because they’re not going to say anything to you if you mess up. When you play with your twin brother, you can say whatever you want, unfortunately.” – (Yates)
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Still a Duo With Big Plans
Despite stepping away from playing full-time together, Yates and Hunter Johnson aren’t done teaming up. They plan to play several tournaments together in 2025.
“At the end of the day, I would much rather play with him because it’s special and it’s what sets us apart by being twins, so it’s good to capitalize on that. It’s a special thing for sure.” – (Yates)
News in Brief: Yates Johnson Reveals Truth
Yates and Hunter Johnson, twin pickleball pros, occasionally team up in doubles. Though they sometimes clash on court, Yates says their bond is strong and unique. After time apart with other partners, the twins plan to reunite for several tournaments in 2025.