Hard work pays off for Rafael

This December, Rafael Jones will be flying to New Zealand, a trip that four months ago his parents thought would not happen, as the CNMI netter almost did not make it to Fiji.

Fiji was the venue of the 2008 Pacific Oceania Junior Championship, a tournament that allowed Jones to show his wares and win over OTF’s nod to have him included on the Pacific Oceania Touring Team to New Zealand. Jones made it to the semifinals of the POJC.

To make it to Fiji, Jones and 15 other CNMI netters had to go through the North Pacific Qualifying Tournament in Guam and collide with Palau, FSM, and the host bets.

While Jones’ teammates—Christian Miller, Mayuko Arriola, Dina Jones, Thea Minor and Ji Hoon Heo—had already secured slots on the North Team, the 13-year-old Saipan International School student fought for dear life.

Actually, the sixth spot on the North team will still go to the Commonwealth, as Jones battled fellow CNMI netter Jake Lee in the semifinals.

But while CNMI was in a win-win situation, the second semifinals in the boys’ 13-and-under division was a make or break for Jones.

Jones lost in the first set, 5-7, but recovered in the second, nailing a 6-1 triumph to force a deciding third set.

Instead of having the momentum after an impressive win in the second set, Jones was caught flatfooted by the much smaller, but quicker Lee in the third set with the latter taking a commanding 4-0 lead.

“When Raffy trailed at 0-4, I stood up and walked away from the playing court, saying ‘that’s it, Raffy will not be going to Fiji,’ Rafael’s father, John said.

Rafael’s mother, Flor, was on Saipan during the tense match, called her husband and learned the bad news.

While his parents had given up, Rafael was busy motivating himself for one of the biggest comeback in his young tennis career.

“I told myself this is my last chance. I am turning 13, and would not be able to make it to Fiji until I turned 16 to join the boys’ 18-and-under division. It’s a make-or-break situation for me,” Rafael said.

“I thought of all the time and efforts my coach (Jeff Race) had given me to get where I am now. I thought of my parents’ sacrifices picking me up from school and dropping me to training sessions, and my own sacrifice, playing after school, and studying late after playing several hours a day. If I lose this game, all the things that we worked for in one year will be wasted,” Rafael added.

When John returned to the court, Rafael was down by only two, 2-4, and he began to feel better. He was at his best feeling when his son pulled off a 7-5 triumph, ensuring Rafael a ticket to Fiji.

“It was one of those scary victories,” said John, who let Rafael start playing tennis at the age of five.

“We want our kids to get involve in many sports and have them choose what’s best for them,” Flor said.

Rafael plays soccer and was once enrolled in swim lessons, but focuses more on tennis.

Asked how was Rafael like when he was just starting swinging the racquet, John said “he was terrible, you know kids when they start playing, they just go there not thinking of winning or losing because they wanted more to be with their playmates.”

But when Rafael began joining tournaments at the age of six, a competitor was born winning one tournament after another in various age groups.

Rafael, who was not named after Rafael Nadal, but admits the Spaniard clay court specialist is his idol, said he still needs a lot of improvement despite having a breakout year this season.

“I have to be more consistent with my game and focus on my footwork. I also need to work hard on my forehand and backhand,” Rafael said.

Rafael needs consistency and more power in his game, as he will be up against tough Kiwi and Aussie netters when he competes in three tournaments in New Zealand.

He is dividing his time between study and training sessions to prepare for the New Zealand tournaments.

Rafael is training with Race three times a week and also swings racquet with Fiesta Resort & Spa Saipan instructor Peter Loyola.

Training sessions usually last for two hours after school. When he comes home, Rafael still has to study, as he wants to remain in SIS’s honor roll.

“Sometimes we will see him almost asleep while doing his homework. It is a lot of sacrifice for an honor student like him to find time to play competitive tennis and still make time for your study. But he knows he has do it as this will benefit him in the future,” said John, who someday wants his son to play for a college team.