MILTON – To the naked eye, Catalina and Camila Abboud aren’t mirror images of each other. They’re not twins but are still sisters, just separated by two years.
Their respective successes, though, are nearly identical. The singles stalwarts only account for two losses this spring.
Tuesday was the latest exercise in their lasting likeness.
Relying on its upper-court talents, No. 8 Milton girls’ tennis (12-6) knocked out No. 9 Westwood (14-4) in the MIAA Division II state tournament’s Round of 16, staged at Kelly Field.
The 3-2 victory secured a shot at redemption for the Wildcats after they fell by one point in last year’s state quarterfinals.
“This win meant so much because now we’re onto the same round we made last year,” Catalina Abboud said. “Our goal starting off the season was to make it one round deeper, so our next match is even more important.”
Coach Maggie Radley (left) speaks with her players before their match against the Wolverines.Jack Nelson
Consistency is often personified in the dual form of the Abboud sisters. As former Bay State Conference All-Stars, they’ve operated at second and third singles since they first took the court together last season.
Senior Catalina Abboud has stuck to the No. 2 spot, while sophomore Camila Abboud regularly goes to work next to her at court three.
They’re now 30-2 combined in 2025. The younger counterpart owns a 16-0 record that puts her on a pedestal all alone as Milton’s winningest contributor.
“Even though there’s always those sibling outbursts that occur occasionally, they’re actually more fun than anything,” Milton coach Maggie Radley said. “They are two kids that definitely have each other’s back, but they have the back of everybody on the team.”
The older sister assumed a de facto leadership role from the moment she entered the program. As a freshman, Catalina Abboud took on the top singles spot and was voted captain a year later.
Her younger sister joined for the 2024 campaign and hasn’t left her side ever since.
“We’re pretty close, so it’s really nice that we play a sport together,” Camila Abboud said. “We’ve been coming to these courts since we moved here and just been hitting together.”
Camila Abboud eyes the ball before a forehand return at third singles.Jack Nelson
Together, they were primarily responsible for the Wildcats’ fiery start to Tuesday’s festivities.
Both of them claimed their opening sets, 6-1, while junior Melody Tran assembled an even better 6-0 showing at first singles.
The outing stayed breezy for Tran – ranked No. 34 in New England for Girls 18 & Under, per the USTA – as she outpaced and outsmarted Audrey Lake en route to her triumph without dropping a game.
“Melody is a silent leader. She very much shows by example, and she is one of the toughest kids I’ve ever coached,” Radley said. “A couple of wins she could have stolen from Wellesley and NDA (Hingham), but she didn’t dwell on it. She just buckled down and came back harder.”
Melody Tran goes into her backswing before a forehand at first singles.Jack Nelson
Catalina and Camila Abboud, in the meantime, had each taken a turn. Contests tightened for both.
The latter was challenged by Scarlett Bernard to hit winners at a higher volume in her following frame, and the scorecard reflected such a learning curve. But she found her spots down the stretch and delivered a 6-1, 6-4 decision.
Still, just a sophomore, Camila Abboud has now won 31 of 32 sets played this season. And the latest pair on her ledger pushed Milton within one point of advancing.
“Nothing bothers her. She’s just there for the ride,” Radley said. “She’ll take the challenge, and she won’t back off anybody.”
Both of the Wildcats’ doubles tandems had dropped their first sets. Uninterested in relying on comebacks, Catalina Abboud took matters into her own hands.
The senior found herself in multiple drawn-out rallies opposite Vani Tewari as their second set neared conclusion. Her mental game – historically her biggest weakness, according to Radley – was tested in ways that might’ve been her undoing in the past.
But things have changed. She’s a different player now.
Analyzing rather than panicking, Catalina Abboud maintained control en route to a 6-1, 6-3 outcome, providing the clincher with the Milton faithful behind her.
“I love when my teammates cheer for me. It’s really nice to know all the support you have behind you because tennis is really an individual sport,” Catalina Abboud said. “All the pressure is on you.”
Catalina Abboud goes into her serving motion.Jack Nelson
A state quarterfinal appearance was always part of the Wildcats’ vision for 2025. Tackling it, though, involves a gargantuan task.
No. 1 seed Longmeadow – the undefeated reigning state champion – stands between Milton and the next step it’s searching for.
The challenge is daunting. It’ll be unlike any other the Abboud sisters have faced as they look to play their part in defeating a team that hasn’t lost in nearly two years.
But they’ve made a winning difference all season, and overwhelmingly so. Tuesday changed nothing in that regard.
