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Tennis led Bojana Bobusic to the heights of Grand Slams and NCAA finals. Now retired from the pro ranks, the Cal alumna still works in the game she loves as a television broadcaster.
 
A product of Perth, Australia, Bobusic played at Cal from 2006-09. In her last two seasons – also the first two years of Amanda Augustus' tenure as head coach – the Bears finished as the NCAA runner-up. Bobusic, who competed in the 2009 NCAA singles tournament, earned a career-best singles ranking of 15th.
 
After graduating with a sociology degree, Bobusic played on the pro tour, reaching a career-high singles ranking of 222 and a career-best doubles ranking of 187. The talented Bobusic won three ITF doubles titles and one ITF singles crown. She produced her best seasons in 2012 and 2013, competing in the Australian Open in singles and doubles both years.
 
But persistent back and foot injuries caused her to retire in mid-2013.
 
"I wasn't able to maintain a full year without getting injured, and it's hard to keep that momentum going," she said.
 
In 2014, Bobusic was working in player services at the annual Hopman Cup in Perth when she was asked to fill in for another player in a mixed doubles exhibition. She did a chance television interview that planted the seed for her future, with a TV staffer asking her if she'd done any media work before – she hadn't – and suggesting that she should.
 
Bobusic was intrigued. She took voice lessons and a broadcasting course and made her own scripted videos, which Tennis West, the governing body of Western Australian tennis, posted on its website. She began covering local events and juniors matches, working locally for Tennis West and nationally for Tennis Australia.
 
"One thing turned into another, and it turned into a paid gig," Bobusic said. "I landed a few contracted opportunities, and I just explored it. I've enjoyed public speaking. I love the excitement of the unexpected, with what someone will say, what the producer will in say your ear, or when you're thrown in the deep end right away. I love learning new skills and perfecting my broadcasting. I'm also quite creative and use my creativity through broadcasting."
 
Besides doing tennis commentary, Bobusic has worked as host of a studio show with the Fremantle Dockers, an Australian Rules Football women's club, and she hopes to work with other sports in the future. She has also emceed events, including the Newcombe Medal awards, an annual ceremony named after Aussie legend John Newcombe that honors the top Australian tennis players.
 
When she isn't broadcasting, Bobusic, 31, works as a Health & P.E. teacher at Applecross High School, her alma mater, and coaches tennis.
 
"Bojana was really a joy to coach," Augustus said. "I was happy to help her develop her game and then see her have the great success she had as a professional tennis player.
 
"I've always been proud of everything Bojana's done. Seeing her get into TV commentary has been fun. She knows the game really well and knows the players. She has a real talent for it and has a talent for many things. I can see her working in the sports industry in some capacity for quite a while. It's exciting to see your former players doing really well and changing the world."