In the Florida Gators’ women’s tennis matchup against the University of Georgia March 8, Florida freshman Malwina Rowinska was seconds away from a victory.
After winning the first set, the second set was in a 6-6 tiebreaker, in which Rowinska trailed 7-6.
Rowinska’s first serve faulted. She went to shake it off, looking to grab the Gators' first point of the overall match. She took a deep breath and went up for her second serve. It again hit the net.
The frustration was palpable. Rowinska couldn’t even raise her head, turning around and holding her face as she walked over to the fence.
But then, someone dashed from the other side of the court, coming up behind Rowinska. It was Florida freshman Qavia Lopez.
Lopez grabbed Rowinska, telling her teammate and friend to breathe. Rowinska, despite being beside herself in disappointment, embraced Qavia.
Even in the moments that seemed the most dim for Rowinska, Lopez had her back. And that has been the case ever since the first day they met.
Rowinska, who goes by the nickname “Malwa,” is a native of Warsaw, Poland. She had a prolific junior career, winning four junior National Championships and achieving a career-high ranking of No. 51 by the International Tennis Federation.
However, Rowinska struggled with adjusting to a foreign country while also dealing with the pressures of being a Division I athlete.
“Coming from such a small country as Poland to America, it was a crazy experience,” Rowinska said. “Everything was so new for me, and at first, I couldn’t find my place.”
Rowinska wasn’t the only one who had a learning curve.
Lopez, who is nicknamed “Q,” came to UF with all of the hype in the world. She was the No. 1 overall recruit in the 2023 class and chose Florida over other highly prestigious programs such as Pepperdine and UCLA.
However, she had yet to be a part of a team, which served to be a challenge for the Delray Beach, Florida, native.
“It’s definitely a change,” Lopez said. “You have to learn to work together, and you're a lot louder on the court cheering on your teammates.”
For Lopez and Rowinska, their friendship started before they hit the court together. It started in a dorm as they became roommates.
“Being around each other 24/7, that helped a lot for us,” Lopez said. “We were able to get close and be comfortable with each other.”
The freshmen were able to adapt to their new team together, which also translated on the court, becoming a doubles pair.
The duo amassed a record of 5-6 in doubles play as a pairing and played several matches on Court 1, facing some of the best doubles pairs in the nation.
Rowinska and Lopez have made plenty of memories together on the court, but their budding friendship off the court has given them memories in the short time they have known one another.
The duo can usually be found on their identical scooters, which they drive to and from the team’s matches and practices.
The pairing has also explored their new surroundings in Gainesville, getting to know the area while also traveling alongside their team around the country.
“We’ve really done everything together: meals, exploring, all of that random stuff,” Lopez said. “We’ve just built a good friendship from being together in the short amount of time we’ve been here.”
Now, well into their freshman campaigns, both Rowinska and Lopez have found plenty of success on the court.
Rowinska has become a fixture on Court 6 for the No. 12 Gators, despite not starting the season playing singles. She holds a 4-4 singles record, including three straight victories in conference play.
Meanwhile, Lopez has been a standout performer, holding a 10-2 record, including six SEC victories.
Her success has parlayed her into the No. 109 ranking in the International Tennis Association’s Singles Rankings.
“Malwa and Q have become outstanding additions to our team,” assistant coach Sam Mannix said. “Not only are they great competitors, but they are also good people who elevate the team dynamic with their positive energy and team spirit.”
Rowinska and Lopez have also become key figures in the nine-woman squad, all of whom form a very tight bond.
“Our freshmen have made a big impact on this team with just the little time they’ve been here,” sophomore Rachel Gailis said. “Our relationship with them is more than we could’ve asked for, and they help us grow as people and players.”
Both Rowinska and Lopez have nothing but praise for one another and have credited each other for their success so far in their collegiate careers.
“I’m really just grateful to have her here, as a friend and as a teammate,” Lopez said.
Contact Max Bernstein at mbernstein@alligator.org. Follow him on X @maxbernstein23.
