Macaluso sets his eyes on returning to state

Dominic Macaluso is a sophomore. But don’t let his age fool you.

The O’Fallon Township High School (OTHS) underclassman is already one of the top tennis players in the metro-east and Illinois.

Take last year, for instance.Macaluso went 3-2 at the state singles’ tourney as a freshman.

This spring, he is hoping to improve on thst mark and win his second consecutive sectional title.

Macaluso has started this spring strong.

He entered Tuesday’s match against East St. Louis with a 3-2 record.

Macaluso opened the season in convincing fashion, sweeping his Alton opponent in two sets, 6-0, 6-0.

On Friday, he went 1-2 at the Edwardsville Tourney. His lone win in Edwardsville came against Peoria Richwoods.

He, however, lost two tough matches to Mary Institute and St. Louis Country Day School (MICDS) and Dunlap. Both of these high schools are expected to be among the top tennis programs in Missouri and Illinois, respectively, this spring.

Macaluso works hard to hone his skills, practicing four hours a day. That includes two hours a day with his Panthers’ teammates. He also practices another two hours on his own at Sunset Tennis Club in St. Louis. He also trains with McKendree University’s grad assistant Mandeep Yadav.

“Mandeep is a lot better than me,” he said and laughed. “He beats me pretty easily, but I am getting there. I eventually might be him someday.”

Macaluso, who only picked up a tennis racket only three years ago, plays tennis year round.

“Most guys don’t do that,” he said.

But Macaluso believes that will not only help him succeed now, and at the next level.

Macaluso said he’d now like to attend Auburn University or Notre Dame University, where he also hopes to play tennis.

“But it’s very hard to play Division I tennis,” he said. There are so many kids around the world who want to do it.”

Macaluso likes to think he can now make some trick shots now like Roger Federer.

“But those are the fun shots when I try to be like him,” he said and laughed.

Federer is a Swiss professional tennis player who is currently ranked world No. 3 by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP). His accomplishments in professional tennis cause him to be regarded by many as the greatest tennis player of all time.

Federer turned professional in 1998 and has been continuously ranked in the top 10 since October 2002. He also holds several records of the Open Era: holding the world No. 1 position for 302 weeks (including 237 consecutive weeks); winning 17 Grand Slam singles titles; reaching each Grand Slam final at least five times (an all-time record); and reaching the Wimbledon final 10 times.

He is among the seven men (and among the four in Open Era) to capture a career Grand Slam. Federer shares an Open Era record for most titles at Wimbledon with Pete Sampras (seven) and at the U.S. Open with Belleville-native Jimmy Connors and Sampras (five).

Like Federeer, Macaluso believes his strength is his forehand.

“I can control points with that stroke,” he said.

Macaluso said he can tell early in a match if he is going to play well.

“I know I am playing well when I’m moving my feet, and making my opponent move around more than I am,” he said.

This story was originally published April 11, 2016 at 12:25 PM with the headline "Macaluso sets his eyes on returning to state."