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Chris Zielinski, left, returns a serve during his doubles tennis match at the 2014 Headquarters Allied Air Command International Tennis Tournament in Koksijde, Belgium. Twin brother, Greg, remains poised for anything coming his way. The pair were two players of a six man team that competed against five European countries. Team United States came in second in the competition. (Courtesy photo)

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Greg Zielinski slams the ball across the net as brother Chris remains ready for the next volley. (Courtesy photo)

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The U.S. Air Force mens and womens tennis team poses in front of the Menin Gate in Ypres, Belgium. There for the 2014 HQ Allied Air Command International Tennis Tournament, they had the opportunity to witness the 100 Year “Last Post” Ceremony, honoring the soldiers lost at Ypres Salient during World War I. This was the scene of some of the biggest battles during that war. A salient refers to a battlefield feature that projects into enemy territory, thus leaving soldiers in the salient surrounded on three sides, by the enemy. The Fifth Battle of Ypres in August, 1918, began the Hundred Days Offensive, which pushed the Germans out of the salient. They did not return. (Courtesy photo)

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Pilot twins team up to compete in international tennis tournament

Published Feb. 19, 2015
By Ellen Hatfield
349th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs

TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Since 2008, Maj. Greg Zielinski, has played in the Headquarters Allied Air Command International Tennis Tournament. Most recently, he paired up with his twin brother, Maj. Chris Zielinski, to compete Sept. 8-12, 2014, in Koksijde, Belgium.

Greg is a C-17 pilot assigned to the Air Force Reserve's 301st Airlift Squadron, Travis Air Force Base, California, and Chris, also a C-17 pilot, is currently assigned to the 618th Air Operations Center, Tanker Airlift Control Center, Scott AFB, Illinois. Both graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy, where they excelled on the court as well.

The tournament is held every other year in Europe, and includes six Air Force tennis teams from the U.S., Belgium, Poland, Germany, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands. These same countries compete at each tournament.

The tournament follows "Davis Cup" format, with two singles matches and one doubles match per contest. Greg competed in 3 of 4 team contests, playing doubles, helping Team USA earn second place at the event, hosted by the Belgium Air Force.

In the group phase, the U.S. Air Force team scored a 2-1 victory over the UK's Royal Air Force tennis team. Greg teamed with twin brother Chris in doubles, winning the third and deciding match. Greg sat out the second contest as Team USA swept the German Air Force, 3-0.

In the semifinals team, USA defeated the Polish Air Force 2-1. Greg teamed with Maj. Justin Mancinelli and lost a hard fought doubles match. In the finals, Team USA suffered its first defeat, losing to the Belgian Air Force team 2-1. Greg again teamed with his brother Chris as the doubles team, but this time in a losing effort. The "hometown" crowd was just a little too tough to overcome for team USA in the finals.

The brothers said the high point of the 2014 tourney was the opportunity to have the honor of participating in the 100-year anniversary, "Last Post" Ceremony, at the Menin Gate in Ypres, Belgium. The ceremony honors those soldiers lost at Ypres Salient in World War I.

The complete U.S. Air Force men's tennis team included: Maj. Chris Zielinski, Maj. Greg Zielinski, Maj. Justin Mancinelli, Tinker AFB, Oklahoma; Capt. Trevor Johnson, Los Angeles A AFB CA; 1st Lt. Brett Rogers, Naval Postgraduate School Monterey, CA, and 2nd Lt. Lance Wilhelm, Wright Patterson AFB, Ohio.

The Zielinski twins hope to be selected to play in 2016's tournament as well. "We'll be two years older and slower, so we'll have to see how our bodies are holding up," joked Greg.

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