Vincent Petrucelli shocked everyone by being one of the best varsity tennis players last spring. Vincent, better known as “Vinny,” is a stand-out athlete for Hudson High School and is proof that hard work pays off. A mixture of natural ability, stamina, athleticism and pure determination has made Petrucelli one of the best tennis players in Northeast Ohio. He helped lead the Hudson tennis team to an overwhelming victory at the Suburban League Championships last year. Entering his senior year, Petrucelli looks to build off his last successful season.
Petrucelli started playing tennis when he was young. He played on and off, taking it more casually than competitively. Soon playing with friends turned into winning championships. “A lot of my friends were playing and trying out for the team, so I decided to try out as well,” recalled Petrucelli. And it’s a good thing he did. Petrucelli soon found out he was a natural at tennis. He put in extensive practice in the offseason, signing up for countless clinics and extra practices. “Once I realized that I was just as good as everyone on the team, it drove me to get better and better.”
Tennis is an especially unique sport. The combination of coordination, strength, stamina and smarts makes it a more difficult than one might think. Petrucelli has proven proficient in all of these categories. “Endurance and stamina are the hardest aspects of tennis, especially if you play singles.” Petrucelli has proven that he can go the distance with any opponent.
He wins matches by crushing the opponent or winning a close, long match. “Vinny’s versatility is what makes him a good tennis player, it is like he doesn’t get tired,” his varsity teammate, Charlie Yurak, states. Power and stamina often don’t come hand in hand, but Petrucelli is an exception.
He believes that keeping the right mindset and focus is a key component of tennis. “I can keep my focus because the match and the opponent at hand are the only things I think about when I’m playing”
Being a skilled tennis player helps in ways that aren’t shown on the court. Petrucelli is also a dedicated student. “I feel that tennis helps my discipline off the court,” Petrucelli says. He is a perfect model of what a good student-athlete should be. He looks to continue his success in college and is most interested in Cleveland State because they have a good tennis program. “I want to continue to play tennis in college, and we’ll see what happens from there.”
Petrucelli looks up to tennis player Carlos Alcaraz, who is currently the number 1 ranked tennis player in the world by the Association of Tennis Professionals. Alcaraz is a 19-year-old tennis player from Spain. Petrucelli looks up to his aggressiveness on the court and looks to emulate that himself. “He’s young and has proven himself to be able to compete and win against the big players like Nadal, Djokovic and many more.” Alcarez inspires young players, showing that becoming a world-class tennis player is a very real possibility at a young age.
Going into his senior year at Hudson High School, Petrucelli recognizes that helping the younger tennis players is also important. While he looks forward to going far in the playoffs this spring, he is also drawn to leave a bigger mark at Hudson High School. He is currently coaching kindergarteners. He also looks to help lead the way for younger classmen. “My advice for freshman is to work hard, don’t get discouraged and never quit, no matter the score.” Petrucelli is a true team player, and any team would be lucky to have someone like him.
The attention will be turned to Petrucelli as he makes his final run in high school tennis. He joins a talented squad with sophomore Henrique Sa and senior Charlie Yurak. They look to build off of last year and make a mark in school history. Regardless of the outcome this season, it is easy to say that being a singles Suburban League Champion as a junior is a huge accomplishment – and we are lucky to have Petrucelli as a member of the Hudson community.
