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Twins are double trouble for tennis opponents

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Twin brothers Jason and Michael Blando have been running around tennis courts since they were 2 years old.

Since dad Ernie teaches the game, hanging out around the courts seemed like every kid’s dream.

“We didn’t even know what a tennis club was,’’ Michael said. “We just got to run around the courts.’’

Now Rancho Bernardo High School juniors, the Blandos won the Palomar League doubles championship last week with a 6-4, 6-2 victory in the championship match.

At age 10, the brothers won their first tournament together at the Barnes Tennis Center in San Diego.

“We celebrated by going out to get something to eat and then we went and hit some tennis balls for a while,’’ said Michael, who is four minutes older than Jason.

The fraternal twins can be found on tennis courts at school, at the Rancho Penasquitos Tennis Club where their dad teaches and other courts all over Southern California.

A year ago, the Blandos - Jason is 5-foot-10, Michael is 5-9 - lost the league finals to Peter Stratton and Patrick Trhac of Del Norte, who went on to win the San Diego Section doubles championship.

With a year’s more experience, the Blandos are seeded No. 2 heading into this week’s CIF Individual Tournament at the Balboa Tennis Club behind Matt Lanahan and Daniel Dulay from Otay Ranch.

The Blandos begin play in the CIF Tournament on Wednesday.

“We’re not that nervous,’’ Jason said. “Just stay relaxed and work on our technical stuff.’’

The Blandos are the second set of twins that coach Mike Parrinello has had at Rancho Bernardo.

“Off the court, they have distinctive personalities,’’ Parrinello said. “On the court, they are almost like one person in two bodies. They can communicate by just looking at each other.’’

It almost gives the brothers an unfair advantage against opponents.

“We have such a strong relationship all the time,’’ Jason said. “Opponents we play tend to change partners all the time.

“That takes time to get used to a new partner. Not with us. We’ve been together a long time.’’

Jason acknowledges that Parrinello’s description of the brothers - Jason is the comedian, Michael is more laid back - is right on.

“I like to lighten moments during matches,’’ Jason said. “I want to have fun and play at a high level.’’

The brothers’ plans are to play doubles in college together.

Why break up a good thing?

This summer, Jason and Michael will throw themselves into their Scholastic Aptitude Test prep classes for college and then hit the tennis court.

In two weeks, they will play in the National Hardcourt Championships, a singles and doubles tournament in Balboa Park.

The Blandos will, as usual, play doubles.

“I have no clue how we’ll do,’’ Jason said. “All we can do is our best.’’

Just as they did in the Pacific Coast Doubles Tournament, which brings mostly college-age players together.

“That one showed us where we were at,’’ Michael said. “It’s a tournament that sets apart the high school players from the college players. It was good to get experience against better players like that.’’

Every now and then, Jason and Michael break up the family gang and pick new partners for a tournament.

It’s all for fun.

“We just have fun with friends,’’ Michael said. “They aren’t as skilled as we are, but it’s all for fun only.’’

Though they are about to enter senior year at Rancho Bernardo, neither Blando brother even has a driver’s permit yet.

“We wish we had our driver’s license,’’ Jason said. “Dad drives us everywhere. I would like to get it so we can go get food on our own.

“When friends ask us why we don’t drive, I don’t have an answer. It’s not because of tennis.’’

Everything else in their dual lives is.

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