Words cannot possibly fully describe this match which lasted almost 6 hours.  Epic, for sure.  I caught sets 2,3 part of 4 and then the very end live.  This afternoon I watched the whole of the fifth set on tape and it was amazing to see the quality of the play given what each player had been through up to that point.

Yes, championship tennis doesn’t get any better than this.  And besides superb play, Djokovic was gracious in victory, lamenting that he and Nadal couldn’t both be declared winners.  Truly tennis history was made in Melbourne this year, with a final fit for the ages.

2012 is an Olympic year, and doubtless we Christians will hear various sermons and exhortations this year based on Paul’s use of sporting analogies, such as in 1 Cor. 9:26-27.  What struck me was this unsettling and disturbing thought:

If athletes like Djokovic and Nadal (or Federer and Murray) can devote so much time and effort to achieving the spectacular results they do on the tennis court, when they only do it all for the fleeting fame and fortune this world has to offer, then how come so few of us who claim to follow Jesus Christ and love God above all else are willing to endure anything like the arduous self-discipline, relentless practice, and constant striving for excellence they do when we are engaged in spiritual matters of eternal significance??

David Handy+
Amateur and mediocre tennis player
Hopefully a better Christian