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When it comes to tennis, Jean-Yves Aubone has made sure things were on his terms. Born to two professional tennis players, there was no doubt he would be born into the game.

"I was essentially born with a racquet in my hand. I don't know what a life without tennis is," said the Miami native. Aubone, who goes by "J.Y," began playing at the age of 2, and although his parents brought him into the sport, he quickly began enjoying it on his terms.

"I liked it because of the one-on-one aspect. It was up to me the entire time, and I really enjoyed the challenge of having to figure out my opponent."

Aubone would eventually thrive in the Florida tennis scene and quickly became one of the premier junior tennis players in the country. As his ranking rose, so did his dream of becoming a professional tennis player, and with that came the sacrifice of normal teenage years.

"I started home schooling my first year of high school, and I got to understand what the life of a professional is like. I trained six days a week, two times a day, with a fitness session five of those days. I started traveling over twenty weeks a year. It was a tough but great experience."

Although the environment was tough for Aubone, he was able to use the competition as a way to focus on his future.

"Learning the life of a pro was the biggest thing I learned. I didn't have much success on the court, but I was forced to mature young, which helped me later on," Aubone reflected.

Choosing a School

Because he had his eyes set on the professional route, college tennis wasn't on Aubone's radar.

"I never had any desire [to go to college] and wanted to go straight to professional tennis."

Although he would eventually become a Top 10, Blue Chip-rated recruit by his senior year, the recruiting process was extremely foreign. One coach reached out to Aubone, but the Floridian immediately and politely declined because he wasn't aware of the collegiate scene. That coach? Brian Boland of the defending national champion Virginia Cavaliers.

"I remember [Boland] calling me during the recruiting process, but I had no idea who he was or how successful his program was," Aubone recalled.

By his senior year, Aubone realized that he still needed time to mature as a player. Even though he grew up a Florida State fan, Aubone still wanted to search other schools, and he would narrow his choices down to four: FSU, Miami, Illinois and Georgia. Due to being from the Miami area, Aubone quickly realized he wanted to go to school away from home, and although he enjoyed the team on his visit at Illinois, he couldn't see himself surviving the weather in Champaign.

UGA holds a special place in college tennis history, but Aubone would miss out on making keen connections with the Bulldogs.

"I came on a bad weekend, as they had a big match to prepare for - and I didn't have a lot time to interact with them."

As for Florida State, it was a dream weekend for Aubone, who knew Tallahassee was the perfect fit.

"My recruiting trip was amazing. Walking into the football stadium was a dream come true. Doak Campbell was my Coliseum."

Aubone, who knew many players on the tennis team, also got to take in a basketball game where FSU upset then-#1 Duke, rushing the court twice. Aubone would sign with the Seminoles, coming in as one of their best incoming recruits in history.

The Garnet and Gold

Aubone would play a combination of the top three singles positions his freshman year, compiling a 20-15 record his opening season. Even though UGA and Illinois would play in the NCAA Team Championship in 2007, he quickly pointed out he has zero regrets with his decision to become a Seminole.