Rafa Was Here!

Growing up inside Camp Aguinaldo made me believe that there were only three sports – golf, tennis and basketball.

Golf because I thought at the time the whole Camp Aguinaldo was a golf course, I mean, each morning I’d pick up a few golf balls inside our backyard.

Tennis because every playground in the camp has a tennis court. I remember picking up a racquet back in the day and imitating Martina Navratilova or John McEnroe. That’s how my love for tennis began.

Basketball because my father loved it (I hate it). I’m not a fan of team sports.

Anyway, this is where I’m really getting at, ever since Rafael Nadal became a professional tennis player my love for tennis increased ten folds. I love the way spins the ball, I love the way air pumps every time he hits a winner. The intensity he brought to the game is just unbelievable. I’ve always dreamed of watching him live. I didn’t know how but I thought to myself maybe if I saved enough money I could go to Melbourne and watch him there. The land down under is the nearest grand slam country I could go to.

But as it turned out I didn't have to leave the country after all, last December 7, 2015 that dream came true, Rafael Nadal came to here via the IPTL Manila. I could not sleep days before the event, it all felt surreal. I mean, words couldn’t describe how I felt. I wanted to scream and I did. Almost fainted, thank God I did not. I took pictures, lots of them, mostly crappy but they were my shots, still proud of it. I came near him, like, three feet away. Close enough to touch but I dared not. Mostly, I screamed and took pictures that’s all I remember.

   

To tell the truth, I don’t like taking pictures with celebrities, it just didn’t interest me but this time I wanted a picture with Rafa I knew it was impossible so my friend and made a plan to take a picture with the next best thing, Uncle Toni Nadal!