Published: Jul 07, 2016, 07:19 PM (IST)
Edited: Jul 07, 2016, 07:19 PM (IST)
Former Australia fast bowler Mitchell Johnson reveals that he wanted to play in the Wimbledon Championships before he turned 18 as a professional tennis player. Johnson is said to be a gifted tennis prodigy, while growing up and also competed in national competitions as a boy. Many of his peers went on to take up tennis professionally, but his enthusiasm for tennis dipped and that is when Johnson’s passion for cricket began. Johnson retired from Tests in 2015 after representing Australia 73 times. He has also played over 180 limited-overs match for his nation. He was one of the most feared bowlers around the world. READ: Mitchell Johnson aims of becoming batting all-rounder in T20 leagues
“I had idols like [America’s 14-times Grand Slam winner] Pete Sampras and [Swedish former world No. 1] Stefan Edberg, I remember when I was quite young watching him [Edberg] play although I wasn’t a serve-volleyer,” Johnson revealed to cricket,com.au. READ: Mitchell Johnson: AB de Villiers is toughest batsman I have ever bowled at
“I used to love watching Pete Sampras, the single-hand backhand and his serve and I wanted to go to Wimbledon.
“I made a goal that I wanted to get there by the age of 18, but cricket was always a passion as well, always playing in the backyard and played it at school and eventually played club cricket and then really enjoyed that as well.” READ: Shardul Thakur: Mitchell Johnson has been like big brother
In 2010, the Australian team was in Hobart, preparing for the third Test against Pakistan. It was then that Johnson and teammate Shane Watson were invited to participate in a promotional “hit” for the Hobart Women’s Tennis Open. They were pitted against professional tennis players Alicia Molik and Sania Mirza. That is however the closest Johnson ever got to playing professional tennis.
