Riverview girls tennis star leaves it all on the court

Some competitors and onlookers might take the aggression and confidence that Julia Piotrowska shows on the tennis court the wrong way.

If they knew her story, however, the passion the Riverview senior shows after pivotal points would make sense. 

Piotrowska, who has played tennis since she was 7 years old, moved to the Sarasota area with her mother, Malgorzata, from Poland five years ago for better opportunities to play year-round. She said the harsh winters of Poland made it impossible to play outdoors during the winter and indoor courts were hard to find. 

That meant she had to resort to using a makeshift tennis court using a pickleball net on a basketball court or a track. 

Piotrowska’s passion and years of hard work were rewarded in the Class 4A-District 10 tournament at Venice High School. She won both the No. 1 singles final — 6-1, 6-0 over Christine Wu of Venice — and the No. 1 doubles final with partner Kathleen Siddons, 6-4, 6-2 over Wu and Tess Tchorbadjiev of Venice. 

Those wins helped the Riverview girls tennis team finish runner-up in districts, earning them a spot in the 4A-Region 5 semifinal at Lutz Steinbrenner High School on April 22 at 3 p.m. 

Best of all for Piotrowska, those wins secured herself a spot at the 4A state tournament in singles and doubles play regardless of what happens at regionals. 

Photo by Vinnie Portell

“The doubles was very special because we lost to them the last time we played them, so it was pretty stressful,” she said. “We came back from 3-0 down in the first set, so the fight was great. At 5-4 we had multiple deuces. I was very nervous, but we pushed through and cheered each other on.” 

Piotrowska wasn’t shy about putting her confidence on display as she rallied against Venice alongside Siddons. 

Outbursts of ‘Come on,’ ‘I’m the wall’ and cries of excitement were frequent from Piotrowska as the pair started to take control, before letting loose an 'Oh my God' upon winning. 

Though some may mistake Piotrowska’s passion for cockiness, she said it’s something that’s simply built into her DNA. 

“I’m eastern European, so I guess that’s the character I have,” Piotrowska said. “I’m very tough and loud.” 

Piotrowska first played tennis at Celsius Tennis Academy in Sarasota upon moving to the area, but transitioned to a private coach when coach Cary Cohenour died in March 2023. 

After playing at Sarasota Christian as an eighth grader, she transferred to Riverview, where she’s been a No. 1 singles and No. 1 doubles player for all four years of her high school career. 

“She doesn’t like to lose,” said Riverview girls tennis coach Kathy Rosenberg, who also coaches at Celsius Tennis Academy. “Sometimes that works against her, but generally speaking, she’s been playing competitive tennis for a long time, more than most of my kids out here have played. She loves to compete and she loves to win.”

That fiery approach has been especially crucial to the success of the Rams’ No. 1 doubles team alongside Siddons. 

Photo by Vinnie Portell

Siddons, who plays more low-key and reserved than Piotrowska, said that the two make for a good pairing. 

“We have a pretty different dynamic, but I think it honestly works better that way,” said Siddons, who added being a left-handed hitter also complements Piotrowska’s right-handed hitting. “Sometimes I need to be more aggressive and she helps me get there. She’s so nice off the court and she’s a super nice person, so I don’t think it took us that long. I’m not scared of her. A lot of people say they’re afraid of her, but no, she’s so sweet.” 

Siddons, a junior, is new to No. 1 doubles this year and had to learn how to play alongside Piotrowska. Time spent together off the court getting food and hanging out on the weekend also bonded the two together and built chemistry that has proved vital. 

This year will be Siddons’ first trip to the state tournament and also the last for Piotrowska. 

Despite having dreams of playing tennis at the collegiate level, she said she ultimately decided to prioritize her education. She plans to enroll in the pre-med program at the University of Florida later this year and play club tennis. 

But not before giving it her all for one final try at a state championship at Sanlando Park in Seminole County from April 30 - May 2.