“You’ve got tennis, and it can be quite insular,” says Ben Johnson. “But then you’ve got the fashion side, which is huge. The gear, the racquets, the courts, the travel. That is where I see myself.”
Widely regarded for his Instagram page @thetennis101, Johnson is pioneering tennis content in an era where it’s nearly impossible to stand out. To his 375,000 followers, the account is like a box of chocolates: they never know what they’re going to get—but they’re probably going to like it.
Fitness tips and fit checks? Check.
Cinematic lifestyle reels? They’re there.
Charming interactions with professional athletes? Ben is serving up those.
BTS and ASMR from tournaments, events and beyond? This is the account for you.
“That’s a big thing for me,” Johnson says from his apartment in London. “When you’re scrolling through it, I like it to be kind of like a magazine.”
On this mid-October day, the Johnson’s flat is the opposite of his flawlessly curated page: it’s messy, with columns of packing containers reaching high after a recent move. The life change is one of the few things that can keep Johnson grounded. Akin to the drones employed in many of his videos, Johnson seems to float from one picturesque place to another, capturing tennis’ inherent lifestyle connection in a singular light.
Over the last month the @thetennis101 has, in part:
Shot and directed a campaign with Oakley Meta glasses
Partnered with Adobe to highlight Lightroom—editing software Johnson uses for his own content