USTA PNW is thrilled to welcome our new Head Tennis Pro, Sanja Lemes, to our Vancouver Tennis Center team! A natural born athlete and fearless fighter, Sanja is a model leader for our new VTC pro staff. Born in Croatia in 1982, Sanja moved to Bosnia with her family where they lived a comfortable life before war broke out. She was skilled in both gymnastics and tennis, participating in national junior tournaments for both.
Once the conflict became too dangerous, the family sought refuge in Berlin, Germany where a coach discovered Sanja. He put her on a scholarship at his club, where she played from 1992-1998. Sanja and her family then immigrated to Vancouver, WA and Sanja began playing at Vancouver Tennis Center. The facility’s director became her coach and helped her become one of the top PNW juniors in the girls 16’s and 18’s, and #133 in singles and #12 in doubles nationally.
She received a full athletic scholarship to the University of Portland where she became the Pilots’ No. 1 singles player, and double majored in Media Communications and German Studies. In 2006, she became an official tennis professional and in 2009 she achieved the coveted status a National Adult Mixed Champion.
Today Sanja is married with two boys and is excited to serve the facility that became her home when she moved to the US in her new role as Head Pro.
Read more about Sanja’s incredible journey from war-torn Bosnia to the University of Portland.
