When Murilo Martins and Henrique Castro take the court as Emmanuel's #2 doubles team, one thing is quick to notice. The pair are certainly in sync. This comes with plenty of practice, but that practice began earlier than most expect.
 
"Henrique and I grew up playing and practicing together with Juninho Tennis," said Murilo. "Off the top of my head, I remember two times we played doubles; the first was in my first year of playing U14. We won against one of the top seeds in the tournament."
 
The pair played again in the Brasileirão, one of Brazil's most important tournaments. 
 
If Murilo could choose a favorite memory of growing up playing beside or against Henrique, it would be the countless hours they spent playing sets or matches after a workout to get out of conditioning. 
 
For Henrique, a favorite memory was a victory in a match in 2018. 
 
"We were playing against a doubles team that had an NCAA Division I player," he said. "We won the third set and had a lot of fun doing it. There's a photo of Murilo and me after the match where we're both chubby – it's funny to look back at that."
 
When it came time to decide their next step, both athletes were blessed to be recruited to play collegiately in the United States.
 
The funny thing, however, is that both decided to attend a small university in Franklin Springs, GA…Emmanuel University, and neither knew the other was attending.
 
"I was surprised and happy to find out Murilo was coming to Emmanuel," Henrique said. "It made me really commit to coming here and made the transition smoother for me."
 
As juniors for the Lions, the pair started strong with a finals appearance at the ITA Southeast Regional tournament. With their early success, the pair ranked as high as #37 nationally and helped the Lions to a #30 national ranking as a team. 
 
They finished the season with a 12-3 record, 7-3 in conference action. 
 
"Out of all the players here, and even in conference, we know each other's games the most," Henrique said. "I think we just know what one's going to do when we're put in pressure points."
 
When asked to describe the other's playing style, Murilo was quick to respond. 
 
"Henrique has always been a risk taker," he said. "He goes for the ball and is never afraid of missing. He makes crazy shots and winners during a match that there is nothing his opponent can do but clap for him."
 
Henrique would describe Murilo as a pusher and a fighter.

"He leaves everything on the court to beat the other guy," he said. "It's really fun to watch because he often frustrates opponents because he doesn't miss."
 
As they look forward to their senior season with the Lions, both have locked in on lofty goals. 
 
"My goal is to win conference," Henrique said. "When we get back to campus, the goal will be to make the whole team better and help the freshman feel like part of the family to make our chances of having a successful season greater."
 
Murilo would like to not only see the Lions climb higher in the national ranking but lead the team in a competitive, hard-working way. 
 
With their fall season beginning September 4 at the Belmont Abbey Invitational, this pair is poised to show off their synergy on the court once more proving that from their first serve to the final set they have what it takes to finish strong.