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Banh twins smile all the way to state tennis tournament

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Photo by Dan Lassiter

Tyler, left, and Taylor Banh are twins from Milton who make up a doubles team playing the the WIAA state meet on Thursday.

The wide, ever-present smiles on the faces of Milton's Tyler and Taylor Banh are a smokescreen.

The identical twins, who will represent the Red Hawks today in the WIAA Division 1 state tennis meet, are highly competitive.

Heck, just ask them who is the oldest.

"I was first by four minutes," said Taylor. "I kinda pushed Tyler aside so I could be the oldest."

Tyler figures a bit of brotherly chicanery cost him a shot at being the oldest son born to Vietnamese immigrants Tinh and Trang Banh.

"I was almost out the door first, but he pushed me back in," Tyler said with a wide grin on his face.

The only pushing the twins hope for today is in their opening-round match at state when they put their 16-6 record on the line against Middleton's Sam Naden and Charlie Opitz (21-7) in a 5:30 p.m. showdown at the Nielsen Tennis Stadium in Madison.

The Banhs qualified for state by finishing third at No. 1 doubles in the Lake Geneva Badger Sectional.

Tyler will be making his second straight trip to state. He and teammate Riley Bailey qualified last year with an 18-4 record, then lost in an opening-round match against Stevens Point's Trevor Sorenson and Zach Graham, 6-0, 6-1.

"Tyler was frozen last year," Milton coach Bob Boden said.

Tyler, in fact, readily admits he was caught off guard by the atmosphere at the state meet.

"That experience from last year really has to help," said Tyler, who stands about an inch taller than Taylor. "We were shocked. I had never played in front of a crowd like that. We weren't really ready for it."

With his brother at his side, Tyler said he is more than ready for this year's state meet.

"We hope we can make it past the first round this year," Taylor said.

If the Banhs survive the opening round, their likely second-round opponents will be 16th-seeded Ben Lock and Jordan Van Riper (27-2) of Waukesha West. That match is scheduled for 11 a.m. Friday.

"I think they have a decent shot in the first match," Boden said. "In the second round, things start to get really tough."

Not only have the Banhs excelled on the tennis court, they've been superior students in what has turned out to be a ferociously competitive Milton senior class. Tyler posted a 4.2 GPA and still ranked just 17th in his class. Taylor's 4.1 GPA was only good enough to rank No. 28.

But the University of Wisconsin has accepted both brothers. Tyler plans to study math and eventually become a math teach. Taylor wants to major in nutritional science. And like they've done all their lives, the Banhs will be roommates in Madison.

Despite the natural bond they might have had as twins, the two didn't officially play together as a doubles team until this season. It was a move they both proposed to Boden.

"We always wanted to play doubles," Taylor said. "It was our idea.

"We both have different strengths we bring to the court. Tyler has good groundstrokes. I have the better serve."

Tyler might disagree with that statement. During a match earlier this year, Taylor ripped a serve right into the back of Tyler's head.

"I wasn't expecting it," Tyler said. "The crowd was laughing. I didn't think it was so funny."

Taylor said the brothers bring a different style of play to the court.

"Most doubles teams like to be really aggressive," he said. "Our strategy is to say back and hit the balls and let the other team make mistakes."

That strategy has served them well. So has the obvious bond they have as twins.

"We have good communication skills," Taylor said.

"Our communication is as good as I gets," Tyler said.

That skill has not gone unnoticed by Boden.

"Their attention to detail is amazing," Boden said. "It's little things like gripping the racket. They have just become mentally tough this year."

Boden said Milton's move from the Southern Lakes Conference to the Badger South has provided better competition for his players. The Banhs are one of four doubles teams from that league to qualify for the state meet.

"We know we can't hold anything back at state," Taylor said. "Knowing we got to state is a huge accomplishment, but we really want to make it past the first round."

That would certainly bring a smile to the Banhs' faces.