11/08/2013 10:00
Nadine and Teresa Strauss, the Austrian Beach Twins
2013 CEV U20 Beach Volleyball European Championship
Vilnius, Lithuania, August 11, 2013. Austria’s Teresa and Nadine Strauss are becoming one the
sensations of the CEV U20 Beach Volleyball European Championship being held in Vilnius, since at only 17 years
of age, the Austrian duo surprisingly qualified for Semifinals of the
tournament, after completing an outstanding previous rounds, shocking
rivals with their combination and perfect harmony on the court. Now, the
Austrian mighty duo is ready to fight for a spot in the Final podium.
“We face Switzerland, probably the strongest team, but now it is really
open. We want the medal!”, pointed out Teresa.
However, the two players share a not so common particularity: They are identical twins. Austrian sisters Teresa and Nadine Strauss sure have heard all the jokes and witty remarks on the book; like: “Are you twins or am I just seeing double?” or “How is this cloning thing working out for you?”. They two siblings also get asked very often what it is like to play with a double sister. Whatever the case, as their opponents in the CEV U20 Beach Volleyball European Championship being held in Lithuanian city of Vilnius are learning the hard way, it is not easy play against twins.
“Yes, people ask that a lot (playing with a twin sister)”, said Nadine, who lives in Neustadt. “Actually, it is great that we can play together because we understand each other so well”, added. That understanding gets confirmed in every action, in every movement of the two players born in 1995, so much that their opponents really do not know if they are clashing against just one person, moving really fast. “We just look at each other and basically know what the other is thinking, so it is easy for us to play together”, declared Teresa.
And an advice for their opponents: they also know all the tricks. "We sometimes change sides on the court", confirmed Teresa, "so if a team is serving one of us, we change our sides to make them confused!". "Yes, and we also change our glasses", added Nadine, stating one of the perks of having an identical twin. Have the reached so far as to try to pass for the other? Then they share a look, like one would do when staring at a mirror before an important question, and they answer. "Ummm no", with a smirk on their faces.
As opposed to athletes who made a career with relatives, for them, there was no other choice as to keep it in the family. “We have always had each other as partners, ever since we started in Beach Volleyball four years ago”, commented Nadine. They have such a good rapport that they do not even consider having another partner at their side in the court. Would they play with another teammate? “No!”, said the two sisters with one voice, acting with the simultaneity expected for twins. The fact is that as their backgrounds have obviously been parallel, inside and outside the court, in terms of the sport, both young Austrians initiated their first contact with Volleyball at home, receiving their first experiences through family tradition. “Our mother was a Volleyball player, so when we were little, we would go to see her at matches”, explained Nadine. “Then we would play at home, with each other, for fun, and that’s how it all started”, continued Teresa. Four years later, they have reached the Under 20 Austrian championship, fifth place in the 2013 FIVB U19 World Champions and now are fighting among the top four teams of the CEV U20 European Championship.
Regardless of their outcome in Vilnius, when it comes to the question of the effect of their twin condition in their success, the two players familiarly called Naty and Tessa don’t have an answer yet. “We don’t know”, both of them say shyly after a pause to look at each other. “We are not typical twins”, stated Teresa, the older of the two. “We go to different schools and have different groups of friends. We enjoy playing with other, but the rest of the time, we are not really together”, confirmed Tessa, who also lives in Neustadt and acts as blocker. “We spend so much time training and on the court that after that, we just go separate ways”, added Naty, who will move to Vienna next year to start college in Sports Management, just like her sister.
In the meantime, the Straussis, as they like to be called, are just enjoying their success and dream on maybe someday joining the list of other brothers playing Beach Volleyball together in main international competitions, like Nyström twins, Mcnamara sisters or Italians Ingrosso brothers, among others. For now, they are just making a name for themselves as the Austrian Beach Twins.
Follow the action of the tournament this Sunday live on LAOLA1.tv
Click here for more information, including detailed schedule and results.
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