In vain you rise up early and stay up late.
Rafael Nadal is the current world #1 and some argue the best tennis player of all time. He is also #1 in something that very few people think about or know about it. MARGIN. His game has more margin for error than any other. There are many reasons why he is the world #1, but technically, MARGIN is why he is world #1.
He produces margin in two ways. Net clearance and spin.
Net clearance is the distance between the ball and the top of the net as it travels over the net. Nadal has the highest average net clearance of any player. In a recent victory over Tommy Haas, his average net clearance was measured at 72 inches or 6 feet, the height of an average male tennis player.
Spin is measured in revolutions per minute; the number of times the ball rotates completely around its axis in 60 seconds. Nadal's ball rotates faster than anyone's; 3,200 revolutions per minute; or 53 revolutions per second. As a point of reference, the next closest is Roger Federer's ball which rotates at 2,500 rpm; about 20% slower than Nadal's.
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| Rafael Nadal - World #1 in Tennis and in Margin |
There are two ways to make an error when you hit a tennis ball; hitting the ball into the net or outside the lines once it travels over the net. Nadal has minimized the odds of both with his combination of net clearance (to make sure the ball always clears the net) and spin (to make sure the ball always comes down inside the lines). That's what gives him the highest margin for error in tennis.
What does that have to do with life? Margin is one of the most important principles for victory in life. We need margin in life for rest. (Psalm 127:2) How do you feel when you don't get enough sleep for several days in a row? We need margin for finances. (Luke 14:28) How do you feel when you spend exactly or even more than what you bring home each week? We need margin for appointments. How do you feel when you are always running late? We need margin for safety. What happens when you drive too close to the car in front of you? We need margin to maintain healthy relationships. What happens to your relationships when you don't have enough time to spend with the most important people in your life? We need margin for health. What happens to your health when you don't have time to visit the doctor or dentist?
The moral of the story is that just like a lack of margin in tennis leads to errors on the court; lack of margin in life leads to pain, sin, and suffering. The positive flip side is that just like margin in tennis is a key to victory in tennis; margin in life is a key to victory in life.
Prayer
Dear Lord, please reveal to me where I do not have enough margin in life and on the tennis court. Please give me the wisdom, discipline, courage, and faith to implement Godly margin in my tennis and in my life.
Drill(s)
1. Place a rope 3 feet over the net. Play out points requiring the ball to travel over the rope each time.
2. Place tape on the court 2' inside each line. Play out points (with or without the rope) using the tape as the new lines.
Reference(s)
1. Margin: Restoring Emotional, Physical, Financial, and Time Reserves to Overloaded Lives by Richard A. Swenson.
