Meet the Member: Don & Dorthe Johnston

Where are you both from and what brought you to the Reno/Tahoe area?

I grew up in the Detroit area.  I graduated from the University of Michigan and came to Reno in 1981 to teach math and physics at Wooster High school. I basically started playing tennis when I moved to Reno.  I coached tennis at Wooster and started to play tennis at Washoe.  I met Dorthe in 2008, and she ended up moving to Reno.  She had never played tennis before, so we started playing. Dorthe grew up in Denmark and moved to San Diego in 1989.  When I met her, she lived in Gig Harbor Washington. She transferred from Washington to Reno as a nurse.

What WTC or USTA activities do you both participate in?

I played USTA for several years but have not played for 2 years.  I played doubles with Ed Oakes and singles against Dave Kette in tournaments for many years. I used to play against Ray Woolley for years, but now I hit with him.  Dorthe plays on several USTA teams.  We don’t play competitively together, but we hit with each other often. All of our vacations involve playing tennis.  Getting our exercise in the morning allows us to eat and drink on vacation.  

Who is your favorite professional tennis player and why?

Dorthe’s favorite player is fellow countrywoman Caroline Wozniacki. Mine is Ivo Karlovic because we have similar serves.

What is another favorite hobby other than tennis that you enjoy?

Both of us enjoy skiing and mountain bike riding. We also occasionally play pickleball.  Dorthe rode dressage for many years until her horse died in 2020.  Now she runs with her friend Jenny.

 Is there anything else you could share about yourselves?

Dorthe has 2 children. Emma is a dental hygienist in Washington and Tolin is getting his doctorate in material engineering at UNR. I continue to teach calculus at Sage Ridge School and do math and physics tutoring. 

We have had several Great Danes during our time together.  Currently you will see Svend digging dirt around court 5 to help Ray with his landscaping duties.  Feel free to give him a snack.