Superstitions that serve me well, by Serena Williams

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But according to the seriously superstitious Serena Williams and Ana Ivanovic, it's much more complicated than that.

The winning formula for the 25-year-old American includes tying her shoelaces in the same way, using the same shower before each match and bouncing the ball five times before the first serve and twice before the second.

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It's not all about the tennis: Serena Williams might have a powerul backhand but feels she cannot win without following a set routinue before a match

By contrast, the 19-year-old Serb bounces the ball only once – and avoids stepping on the white lines between points. Serena, the number seven seed and twice previous champion, admits:

"I have too many superstitious rituals and it's annoying. It's like I have to do it and if I don't then I'll lose.

"And I'm not losing because I didn't play well, I lost because I didn't tie my shoe the right way and it's totally ridiculous because I have to use the same shower, I have to use the same sandals, I have to travel with the same bags."

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The winner of eight Grand Slams maintains that she lost in last month's French Open quarter-finals to world number one Justine Henin only because she failed to stick to her set of rules.

"I didn't tie my laces right and I didn't bounce the ball five times and I didn't bring my shower sandals to the court with me.

"I didn't have my extra dress. I just knew fate, it wasn't going to happen."

Last night, the rituals saw Serena through following a severe bout of cramp in her left calf.

After winning the first set against Daniela Hantuchova, she lost the rain-interrupted second on a tiebreak and looked bound for defeat, but bounced back to win the third 6-2.

As for Miss Ivanovic's foibles, her agent Gavin Versi said: "As far as I am aware she has always done it. It's a ritualistic thing."

Mr Versi added that at last month's French Open – in which Miss Ivanovic came runner-up – she wore the same outfit for every match as she believed it was bringing her luck.

Yesterday, she breezed through her match against Aravane Rezai, of France, in straight sets.