Winning at Tennis and Markets

Roger Federer, widely regarded as one of the greatest tennis players in history built a legendary career not by dominating every moment, but by mastering the long game.

You might expect that a player of his calibre won most of the points he played. In reality, Federer won just 54% of his points over his entire career. Surprising, isn’t it?

That means he lost nearly half of the time. But here's the key:

• He won 76% of his sets

• And 82% of his matches

The longer the time frame, the clearer his edge became.

At Pillar One, we believe investing works the same way.

You don’t need to win every day, just like Federer didn’t need to win every point. Markets will fluctuate. There will be down days, setbacks, and moments that test your confidence. But with the right strategy, discipline, and a focus on the big picture, you dramatically improve your chances of long-term success.

Far too often, investors make emotional decisions based on short-term volatility. But champions on the court or in the markets don’t panic when they lose a point. They stay composed, trust the process, and focus on winning the match.

We help our clients especially those from high-performance, high-pressure careers in sport and media apply this mindset to their financial lives. You don’t need to chase perfection. You need a clear plan, expert guidance, and the patience to let your performance compound over time.

Federer didn’t win by being perfect. He won by staying in the game.

That’s how champions are made, and that’s how wealth is built.

Extract from Dr Apollo Lupescu Vice President at Dimensional Fund Advisors Ltd talk ‘Investing Wisdom for Smart Investors’ .