Melisa Lemus said that she is crazy about sports. Saint Louis University’s women’s tennis team has been crazy about Lemus this season, as the native of Argentina played her first and only tennis season at SLU and came out on top, holding the team’s top record of 12-7.
It wasn’t always tennis, however, that drove Lemus forward in the sports world. When she was 5 years old, Lemus began BMX biking. But she explains that BMX was extremely popular in Argentina between ’85 and ’94. By the time she was 10 years old, Lemus was ranked third in the world. She decided to retire from BMX, and began devoting her time to tennis when she was 16.
Lemus left her home in Bahia Blanca to attend a tennis clinic in Buenos Aires, and she soon excelled. When she was 17, she was among the best 10 players in her age group in Argentina, and at 18 she turned pro and toured South America. At one time, Lemus was ranked 720th in singles and 600th in doubles, internationally. Still Lemus wanted to do more.
“I wasn’t doing that well professionally, so I decided to come to the States,” she said.
Once again, Lemus dove into a conquest–this time it was learning the English language. Meeting every day with a tutor for four hours, Lemus learned to speak well enough that she enrolled at Oklahoma City University, where she began studying physical therapy. Lemus transferred to SLU last year, but she was ineligible for play because she had spent more than one year playing professionally. However, her contributions this year have been important, according to Coach Jonathan Zych.
“As a player she has a significant amount of experience on the international level,” said Zych. “She’s been great for the team because she’s been through everything.”
Everything, including struggling and succeeding with a new language while studying PT at one of the top programs in the Midwest. Lemus said that her teachers at SLU and at OCU were understanding of her difficulties with the language. “I’m still learning new things about [English] every day.”
Lemus’ play this year has been highlighted with improvements.
“I only had one year to kind of prove the kind of player I am, and I know that it was not enough because I am a person who puts a lot of pressure on myself. At the beginning of the year I was not playing my best tennis, but with time I improved my game in matches.”
Lemus’ intensity is well-known, and she said that she has maintained her cool this year and avoided “getting crazy” on the court. “I am thinking more clearly and trying to help myself whenever I am down … (I want to) show my opponent that if she wants to beat me she will have to be in the court for a long time and keep fighting until the end of it.”
Zych sees Lemus’ intensity as a plus. “She has an unbelievable amount of fire, passion and energy,” he said.
“She’s one of the top players I’ve seen in my 26 years playing and coaching tennis,” Zych said.
Lemus defeated two internationally ranked players this year, which is quite an accomplishment, according to Zych.
“I think that I improved as a player this past season in many ways. At the beginning I was not consistent, and I did not win matches that I know I can win easily right now,” Lemus said.
