The story reads like a picture-perfect fairytale. The daughter of an ex-tennis player grows up with a racket in her hand, becomes a coveted talent, and helps her school break records.
Upon first glance, it looks too easy for St. John’s freshman Jessica Livianu. Her mother, Bagdana Romanksy-Livianu, played professional tennis, turning her daughter onto the sport at a young age.
After rising through the junior circuit and becoming a five-star college prospect, the younger Livianu committed to St. John’s and has led the team to their first appearance in the Big East Tournament as the top seed in program history.