Chemistry in sports can prove to be one of the greatest advantages for athletes working together.

In college tennis the teams play doubles matches and the best of three earns a point, which is crucial especially in close matches since only seven total points are possible.

For sophomore Anton Stryhas and freshman Kiryl Harbatsiuk their chemistry began developing nearly a decade ago in Minsk, Belarus.

“We’ve known each other since we were 10 years old, maybe even a little earlier,” Stryhas said.

Stryhas and Harbatsiuk grew up in Minsk, occasionally playing tennis with and/or against each other.

“We used to travel and play lots of tournaments together; you might say we were friends,” Stryhas said. “We played a couple tournaments together in Belarus for doubles.”

In singles, Harbatsiuk is No. 1 for the Hornets while Stryhas is the No. 2 and they are the top doubles team.

They have currently played to a 7-2 record in doubles, one of the top doubles pairs in the Big Sky Conference.

“I have nothing bad to say about him as a player or as a person,” Harbatsiuk said.

Since Harbatsiuk arrived, he and Stryhas are often mistaken for twins when they meet people.

“When we go somewhere or are just walking down the street they ask us if we’re twins sometimes,” Stryhas said.

Stryhas is listed on the roster as 6 feet tall and 170 pounds, while Harbatsiuk is listed as 6 feet 2 inches tall and 180 pounds. Both have blonde hair and share the same accent.

“I don’t know why, because we don’t look similar? well, we have the same hair but our faces are different. They always ask if we’re twins, sometimes they ask if we’re brothers,” Stryhas said. “It happens every time.”

Stryhas and Harbatsiuk have acquired the nicknames “Toxic” and “Kyle,” respectively.

Stryhas isn’t sure why he is called “Toxic” by his teammates, but Harbatsiuk got his nickname in college preparation school from an instructor who had trouble pronouncing his name.

Once the team heard of Harbatsiuk’s nickname, they just couldn’t refrain from using “Kyle”.

“I don’t mind, because it’s good for everybody. I like all the guys, because they’re friendly and help me with my English,” Harbatsiuk said.

The team sees the “dynamic duo” from Belarus as ultra-competitive on the tennis court.

“They’re like machines. They just win,” assistant coach Kevin Kurtz said.

When they aren’t busy with tennis and homework they like to hang out for recreation sometimes.

“It’s fun to hang out when we have a chance, but we’re both busy with schoolwork and Kiryl spends time with his girlfriend,” Stryhas said.

Harbatsiuk mentioned his thankfulness for Stryhas’ advice and friendship. He also goes to Stryhas for help with occasional language issues.

“We like to watch Russian movies,” Harbatsiuk said.

One favorite they share translates in English to “Brother” and reminds them of a situation similar to the one they have.

“It’s kind of similar? it’s not absolutely the same situation, but reminds us of something like that,” Harbatsiuk said.

Stryhas connected coach Slava Konikov with Harbatsiuk and he decided he wanted to come play with Stryhas.

Both men agree that without the other they would be struggling in two important aspects of their lives: tennis and school.

The tennis team is almost guaranteed wins from “Toxic and Kyle” every match, evidenced by their records. Stryhas is 9-1 in singles and Harbatsiuk is 8-2.

“Those guys are really competitive and always seem to win,” junior co-captain Sven-David Rueff said.

Since Harbatsiuk is still adapting in his first year in the United States, Stryhas has been vital in the process.

“He’s my best friend now so him coming here is the best thing that could have happened,” Stryhas said.

One thing each Belarusian shares is an extreme competitive streak. They occasionally show this at practice.

“The only times we sometimes have fights are about tennis, because we’re both competitive,” Stryhas said. “It’s not that we want to beat each other so bad, it’s just that neither of us want to lose.”

Stryhas is a co-captain with Rueff, so he is used to leading and helping Harbatsiuk adapt.

Sophomore transfer Holden Ching also lives with Stryhas and Harbatsiuk and he is new to the team and the area as well.

They take turns cooking and doing laundry. It is their first time living together even though they’ve known each other for a while and they share a room.

“We’re pretty organized so we like living together,” Stryhas said.

While interviewing Stryhas, he mentioned that Harbatsiuk was out doing laundry, which could only have meant that it was Stryhas’ turn to cook dinner.

“I like mashed potatoes and pasta,” Harbatsiuk said after he returned.

Cameron Ross can be reached at [email protected]