Steve Johnson comes back from the brink of defeat to earn the USTA’s wild card into next month’s Australian Open. Johnson battles past Tennys Sandgren in five sets in Sunday’s championship match of the eight-man tournament held in Atlanta, GA.

Steve Johnson played his way into the main draw of the 2014 Australian Open by winning the USTA Australian Open Wild Card Playoffs on Sunday afternoon in Atlanta, GA. Johnson saved one match point before beating Tennys Sandgren 4-6, 6-3, 0-6, 7-6(5), 6-1 in the title match.

After splitting the first two sets, Johnson found himself in serious trouble throughout the third and the fourth. In fact, the world No. 156 did not win a single game in the middle frame and he twisted an ankle midway through the fourth on one of several spills he took during the match. Nonetheless, Johnson saved a match point serving at 4-5 with…