Cheers of proud parents, family and friends pierce the cool, breezy air, as siblings, junior Jacob Devlin and freshman Ava Devlin win their first spring tennis tournament together.
On Feb. 27 the Devlin siblings won the Burleson mixed doubles tournament at Burleson High School. Jacob believes their experience from playing together gave them the advantage over the competition.
“The tournament was [different] because we got to play as siblings, [this made the experience more enjoyable]” Jacob said. “We definitely play better together than most doubles because we know each other.”
Despite the occasional sibling banter, the Devlins stay professional on the court to further contribute to their success in the tournament.
“My sister is a very skilled player,” Jacob said. “Having a strong girl in the doubles tournament helps so much. We can get into arguments, but overall we play well together.”
The siblings played together for the past seven years. Their comfortability with one another contributes to their excellent communication on the courts, further improving their flow during matches.
“I think we have really good teamwork,” Ava said. “We’re not really afraid to tell each other what to do, and we can be honest and talk about strategy to have the best results.”
Having a close sibling relationship allows the siblings to understand one another, preventing any conflict or disagreements on the court.
“Now that she’s in high school, we do lots of things together,” Jacob said. “We get to hang out a lot more and hang out with friends.”
Time together off the courts allows for the siblings to develop past the tennis aspect, Jacob believes a major component to their success derives from the personal sibling bond.
“Regardless if we’re winning or losing, we just understand what it feels like to have an off day,” Ava said. “So we can just work through [conflict] by motivating and understanding one another.”
Tennis plays a major role in Jacob and Ava’s sibling bond. Throughout their playing careers, they’ve developed together through private lessons, practice and conversations on individual improvement.
“We play together all the time,” Jacob said. “Driving to tennis and always spending time together is our chance to [connect and improve our chemistry.]”
