Slovakian Sensation

When Lenka Broosova was a high school senior back home in Slovakia, she got a transatlantic call from Baylor women’s tennis coach Joey Scrivano. She didn’t know exactly what Scrivano wanted, but it sounded pretty urgent.

“I’m coming to Slovakia,” Scrivano said. “I’ll see you in two days.” Scrivano knew enough about Broosova to offer her a scholarship, and it’s reaped benefits. Broosova has become one of the best players in Baylor history, helping the team reach the semifinals of the 2008 NCAA Tournament and the quarterfinals of the 2009 tournament.

She came into her own as a sophomore last season when she made all-American after setting a school record with a 52-5 record in singles competition. After battling injuries last fall, Broosova finished her junior year with a 31-7 record while playing in the number-one and number-two slots in Baylor’s lineup.

“I’ve improved a lot since I’ve been here,” Broosova said. “I’ve worked to develop a bigger serve and forehand, and that’s helped me finish matches faster. A lot of times, I’m the first player off the court.”

Scrivano didn’t just head to Slovakia blindly to recruit Broosova four years ago. She was from Banska Bystrica, the same hometown as Martina Ondrejkova, a former all-American who played for Scrivano at South Alabama.

“I did some research, and Martina knew Lenka and her family well,” Scrivano said. “I felt good about her from day one. She’s always had a great presence on the court. She’s a smart individual who has picked up things from a lot of players.”

Though she was far from home, Broosova made a quick adjustment at Baylor on the tennis court and in the classroom.

“I had been playing tennis for ten years, but Coach Scrivano brought back the passion for me,” Broosova said. “The biggest adjustment for me was time management because I had to run, lift weights, and play tennis as well as go to school. ”

Playing primarily number-three singles for Baylor, Broosova completed her freshman year with a 37-8 record, including an 11-0 record in Big 12 play to earn all-Big 12 honors.

With last season’s fifty-two wins, Broosova broke Zuzana Cerna’s school record of forty-seven set in 2005-06. She advanced all the way to the NCAA singles quarterfinals before losing to the eventual national champion. Broosova teamed with Zuzana Zemenova to form a doubles pair that fashioned a 24-6 dual-match record.

“I appreciate that season because I worked so hard,” Broosova said. “I wanted to be a top player and show my teammates what I can do.”

Compared to her sophomore year, Broosova’s junior year got off to a slow start as she missed most of the fall with injuries. But she came back strong in the spring as she went 9-0 in Big 12 play and made the all-NCAA Tournament team with a 4-0 record in number-two singles. Teaming with Csilla Borsanyi, Broosova reached the NCAA quarterfinals in doubles competition.

“Our players look up to her and respect her,” Scrivano said. “She will confront her teammates if they need someone to pick them up. She’ll do whatever it takes to get the team to perform.”

Entering her senior year, Broosova hopes to finish her career with a national championship. “The reason I came here was to win a national championship,” Broosova said. “That’s why I’ve worked so hard and have gone the extra mile.”