Take a peek at the tennis courts at Freedom High School on a sunny weekend or a spare weekday moment, and you’re likely to spy siblings Carla and Wesley Wong whacking a yellow ball around, trying to knock it past each other.

But there’s no hint of sibling rivalry here. Ask Carla, the senior, or Wesley, the freshman, why they volley versus each other more than anyone else, and the answer is consistent.

“We make each other better” comes the sincere reply.

Hardly seems fair, since they’re both already pretty good.

Carla Wong is the top singles player on the Eagles’ girls’ team, winning all 15 of her regular season singles matches despite facing the top players opposing schools can offer. Described as a powerful volleyer with high court intelligence, she is the defending Dulles District and Region II singles champion.

Next year, the elder Wong, a serious player since age 6, is bound for Shenandoah University, where she will arrive as the Hornets’ No. 1.

“She came into high school already with a high level of success and talent. But she’ll work with anyone to improve their skill set,” said fifth-year coach Eric Heare, noting that Wong often brings new drills for the team practices.

Wong’s help seems to be helping. The Eagles have upped their team win total from zero to one to four to 13 in the current season. In April, they dealt the first Dulles District loss to Loudoun County in about two seasons.

“We’ve started working on footwork more, and we’re closer as a team,” she says of the Eagles, a squad full of seniors and juniors. “Our mood’s just gone up.”

Her best personal moment occurred last year, when she won the regional championship by beating John Handley’s Sarah Moomau in straight sets after losing all previous meetings.

Wong’s aspirations for her team and herself are high, just as they are for her little brother.

Wesley, crusher

Wesley grew to love the game from observing his older sister play, watching from his netside perch as a ball collector. He began playing himself at age 7, and bested Carla for the first time at age 13.

A hard-hitting baseline player, he emerged from the Eagles’ preseason the boys’ No. 1 single. He has yet to lose a match in his brief high school career, and has lost no more than four games in any particular match.

The young man with the unusual two-handed stroke already owns the school’s single-season record for wins, and is more than halfway to the career mark. His ratio of winners to unforced errors is exceptionally good at 1.5, according to Freedom boys’ coach John Bell.

“He just has a real clean game and plays solid against everyone,” says Bell, overseeing a young seniorless squad aiming for a top-two district finish.

Wesley’s playing partner is more emphatic in her praise.

“He has a way of moving and placing the ball so well. He’s so fast, honestly, I’m jealous of him,” Carla says, laughing. Wesley was her primary practice opponent during her run to the state semifinals last year.     

Now that the younger Wong nearly always beats his big sister after years of losing, does he think she was imparting lessons, or just beating up on him?

“Little bit of both,” he says with a broad smile.

The Wong stuff

The siblings measure themselves against each other now by how often they shut players down.

“We see who can bagel the most,” she says. “Bageling is like beating them 8-0.”

Wesley Wong now finds himself looking forward to the bulk of his high school career, hoping to do as well as he can. Carla Wong finds herself looking toward what’s left of her senior season, hoping to do as much as she can.

“I know my brother’s gonna make it to states. It’d be awesome if both of us go because it’d be the first [Freedom] boy to go to states [in tennis] and the first brother-sister combination,” Carla says. “That’s my dad’s dream right now, actually.”

Mr. Wong’s dream appears set to be realized, as Carla and Wesley Wong continue to make each other better.

“I think they’re both very lucky,” Heare says, “to have a sibling just as good in the same sport.”

Carla Wong
Class: Senior
Team record: 13-2
Singles record: 15-0

Wesley Wong
Class: Freshman
Team record: 14-2
Singles record: 16-0

(Records through regular season)