For Tufts men’s tennis graduating seniors Vuk Vuksanovic, Derin Acaroglu and Lachie Macintosh, the past four years have been about more than sets, stats and standings. Together, they’ve helped build one of the most competitive tennis programs in the country, and along the way, they’ve grown into leaders, teammates and friends whose legacy will be felt long after their last matches are played.
A big change
If you ask Vuksanovic to recall the earlier stages of his Tufts journey, he starts with disarming honesty: “When I came to Tufts, I really didn’t care about tennis. I really just used tennis to get into Tufts, even though my grades were good. So once I got in, I didn’t care about … my contribution to the team.”
He explained the other mental aspects of his formative period: “I wanted to be a fun guy to hang around, but nothing on the court. … I loved to complain, especially when we were at practice. … Nothing to discourage anyone, but more just [to] get laughs out of guys.”
Over time, that changed. By junior year, Vuksanovic had stepped into the role of captain and redefined what leadership meant to him. “I needed to be more serious to the guys because what I do is what other guys are going to do in the future. If I set a bad example about complaining … then people are going to pick up on it. So I needed to dedicate my time and commit to changing my personality a lot,” he said.
Vuksanovic’s evolution didn’t go unnoticed by teammates. “Vuk’s grown massively,” Macintosh said. “[He’s] always had this fun playboy side to him. Still has it. But one thing that he’s really developed is his leadership; this more serious and head-down mindset has come on. … He had his capstone project the other day, and … it was so great. I mean, I don’t think we’re that surprised. It’s just comparing him to his [first] year. … It was really impressive.”
Acaroglu echoed the sentiment: “[His first] year, his main goal, let’s say, was not tennis. He certainly liked to enjoy himself off the court. But senior year … he didn’t go out once [and] was really, really focused, and obviously that brought him a lot of success. … He always worked hard. But I think he realized that tennis was what he wanted to do. … And yeah, you saw what he did. He won regionals.”
Vuksanovic credits much of his training drive to a competitive team environment.
“Guys wanting to play, it really gives you motivation. … Sometimes, I like to beat my own teammates rather than, like, beating someone else,” Vuksanovic said, laughing. “It gives me pleasure to let them know that I’m the best guy on the team.”
But, Vuksanovic admits, the most memorable moments with the team happened off the court.
“It’s genuinely like the experiences, memories that we create with each other outside of the court that really get to me,” he said.
The Acaroglu way
If Vuksanovic brought the flair, Acaroglu brought the foundation.
“Day in, day out. He’s always working. He never really complains about his work,” Macintosh said. “We have this funny saying, that it’s just like the Acaroglu way, that you don’t really question it; you don’t think twice about things. You just do it.”
That unshakable mindset powered Acaroglu through one of the most consistent careers in program history. “My sophomore season, I went undefeated in the regular season,” he said. “That was pretty cool, just to be able to consistently win matches. … Me and Vuk came runner-up in the [Intercollegiate Tennis Association] doubles [rankings] in the fall of my sophomore year.” In his sophomore year, Acaroglu impressively boasted singles wins over No. 3 Middlebury, No. 3 Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (ranked later in the season) and No. 1 Case Western Reserve University, regularly defending the three and four positions.
But Acaroglu says his real development wasn’t all about winning. “[My first] year, when it got deep, late into the season, I was mentally a little bit burnt out, and I had to learn from that experience,” he said. “I think I’ve been able to be mentally tougher and to handle my emotions better, on and off the court. So I think that’s my biggest sign of growth.”
He and Macintosh arrived at Tufts from the United Kingdom. “We sort of bonded over that together,” Macintosh recalled. “I admire how Derin has immersed himself in it and tried to keep an open mind.”
After graduating, Acaroglu is staying in the United States for work, a decision grounded in the community he built here.
“He’s made some good friends here, me being one of them, but people outside the team too,” Macintosh said.
And what will Acaroglu miss most? “NCAA, Final Four, playing in the national championship — that’s gonna stay with me forever,” he said. “I will miss tennis, but I’ll miss the time that we have to bond outside of the court. And it could just be having a couple of drinks at the house, just hanging out with the guys — that’s what I’m gonna miss.”
Mind over match
Macintosh’s story is one of quiet determination. “I didn’t expect the level to be so high,” he said about his first year. “Played some matches in the lower half of the lineup my first year, in my sophomore year … I was sort of in and out of the lineup at [No.] 5 and [No.] 6, and I was like, screw this. I don’t want to be fighting for spots anymore. I want to be a really solid part of the lineup.”
Macintosh was determined to turn his goal into a reality. “I made a big jump over that summer, played a lot of tournaments, played a lot of tennis, came back, had a good fall, good spring and secured my spot at [No.] 3,” Macintosh recalled.
His effort did not go unnoticed. “Lachie’s one of the hardest working guys I’ve ever met, and not just that, he’s just the epitome of a team guy, and he’ll do anything for his teammates,” Acaroglu said. “He told me, ‘I want to play in the lineup after my sophomore year,’ and he went and he played [No.] 3 the next year. … When he wants to do something, he always gets it done.”
Macintosh recognizes that the discipline and habits he built on the court have shaped how he approaches life beyond tennis.
“I couldn’t imagine my Tufts experience without it. … From figuring out how to change things in my technical game to how to approach certain matches, to how to be with certain teammates, to how to approach coaches … it’s taught me … how to stay committed and to sacrifice things for the greater good,” he said. “I obviously love tennis, so that’s what’s driven me through all the suffering and gave me some of those high moments.”
Even in academics, he embraced every moment at Tufts.
“I do love classes, honestly, as weird as it sounds. I love learning and being lectured. Most of the professors here are really good, and I feel like I’ve learned a lot,” he said. “I’ll miss the day-to-day interactions you get going from class to class, outside your classrooms, within classrooms, dining halls, dorm rooms, … living next to all your friends — the unstructured downtime, that’s something I don’t think I’m going to get in the future. … Tufts has taught me a lot.”
One memory stands out: “[The Intercollegiate Tennis Association National Fall Championships] my junior year was a lot of fun. I had some good wins and fun matches. [The] Bowdoin match last spring was really, really fun and intense on the outdoor courts. We had a lot of people watching, and it was just a really good win and a way to turn our season around,” Macintosh said.
Lessons in leadership
Leadership didn’t come naturally to the three seniors: It was earned.
“We’re all … very extroverted people,” Vuksanovic said. “We all love to talk to people. And I feel like we just like to be the guys who are loved by everyone. Sometimes, especially if you’re captain of the team, you can’t always be loved and can’t always expect to be loved.”
That balance, being both fun and firm, shaped how all three men led. The results of their leadership are reflected in the team’s stellar performances this season: a regular season record of 19–1, undefeated at home and in the conference in the regular season, and ranked No. 1 in the region by the NCAA.
As a graduating senior, looking back, Macintosh framed his leadership as a lesson for others.
“Make the most of your time here because it does go fast,” he said. “Just enjoy yourself. Don’t take things too seriously.”
The final set
Now, the trio prepares for life after Tufts. They feel pride in what they’ve accomplished and emotion in what they’re leaving behind.
In their time at Tufts, they’ve been players, captains and friends. But more than anything, they’ve been anchors, steadying the program and each other. As they walk off the court as Jumbos after one final season, they leave behind a legacy of brotherhood, effort and belief — values that will echo for years to come.
