What Roger Federer—and a Pickleball Paddle—Taught Me About Winning
Roger Federer is widely considered one of the greatest tennis players of all time. With 20 Grand Slam titles, over 1,200 match wins, and countless awe-inspiring moments, he is the embodiment of grace and greatness in sport.
But here’s a number that might surprise you: over the course of his career, Federer won only 54% of the points he played.
That means he lost 46% of them.
Think about that. Even at the pinnacle of excellence, even with the titles, the trophies, and the adoration of millions, Federer was barely above a coin flip in each individual point. His genius wasn’t about crushing his opponents every time; it was about consistently doing just a little better than them, point after point, match after match, year after year.
That’s the power of the slight edge.
What This Has to Do with Pickleball
A few weeks ago, Mel and I teamed up in the Sutton inaugural pickleball tournament. We’re not exactly training for the Olympics here—but we came to win. Some matches were smooth. Others had us scrambling, sweating, and muttering things that probably shouldn’t be repeated in the workplace.
We didn’t dominate every point. Far from it. But we stayed steady. We communicated. We moved just a bit faster, kept the ball in play just a bit longer, a lucky bounce or two and made just a few more smart choices. And we won.
It wasn’t brilliance. It was the slight edge.
The Slight Edge in Life and Wealth
In sports, in business, in investing—and in life—the game is rarely won by knockout. It’s won through marginal gains, steady habits, and calm under pressure. It’s an advisor who listens just a bit more carefully, an investor who stays disciplined a bit longer, or the person who chooses the walk instead of the couch, one more time than not.
The slight edge is what separates champions from contenders, and long-term success from short-lived hype.
So next time you’re discouraged because you lost a point—at work, in fitness, or in life—remember Federer. You don’t need to win them all. You just need to win slightly more than you lose, consistently and over time.
And maybe pick up a pickleball paddle. You never know what lessons it might serve up.
When you’re playing a point, it has to be the most important thing in the world. And it is. But when it’s behind you, it’s behind you.” —Roger Federer
