The St. Thomas women’s tennis team has a new doubles team, but the two sophomores are used to being grouped together.

Twins Anna and Rachel Wright played together for a year before coming to St. Thomas but recently teamed up again for the Tommies. Despite posting a 1-2 record so far, the duo has held their own against tough competition.

“Playing with Rachel compared with other people, it’s like there’s this energy,” Anna Wright said. “It sounds cheesy, but we’ve played together our whole lives. It just fits; it works.”

The pair wasn’t sure they wanted to pursue tennis after high school but said their older brother senior Peter Wight, who plays for St. Thomas’ men’s tennis team, had an influential role in their decision to play. He said the experience has brought them all back together.

“Our relationship has really changed from high school, and I was never nearly as close with them as I am now,” he said. “In the last couple years, they have really been there for me when I needed them.”

Coach Terry Peck hopes that as the sisters grow on and off the court, they will step into leadership roles.

“I see them growing quite a bit when they are used to having their own place at St. Thomas and they have they own place on the tennis team,” Peck said.

Teammates also speak highly of the duo and said the energy they give off is contagious.

“I remember from the first day of practice they were just two girls who were super outgoing and willing to talk to you,” freshman Brittany Alexander said.

Though the sisters are now partners, they both said that when they play against each other, the sibling rivalry never goes away.

“It gets competitive, but in the end we both support each other,” Rachel Wright said.

Kristopher Jobe can be reached at jobe1276@stthomas.edu.