Wimbledon `97: Court circular

All in the game for superstitious

"In '91 everything was the same as this fortnight, lots of rain. That might be a good omen. I'm a little superstitious, not a great deal but enough to make me believe that it is a good omen for me."

So said Michael Stich before his semi-final with Cedric Pioline yesterday, but it was unlikely that it was about to give him an edge. Pioline, too, did not want to upset the fates, even suggesting that he might not ask his wife to watch him play because he wants to maintain the same conditions that have taken him this far.

Not that tennis players are the only sportsmen to indulge superstitions. "Having a superstition is a helpful way of evoking a mood an athlete needs before performing," said John Syer, of the sports psychology consultancy, Sporting Bodymind. "It only becomes disempowering if they are not aware of how to evoke the same mood in a different way".

One of Wimbledon's greatest champions was notorious for his superstitions. Bjorn Borg insisted that he took the same route to the All England club, and for several years refused to shave while competing at the Championships.

This year we have seen Greg Rusedski using the same point-winning ball time after time and carrying his towel around like a security blanket. While some behaviour might appear excessive, Syers defended it: "Habits, routines and superstitions are all an effective way of focusing the mind of the player."

Brasher's delight

While Tim Henman and Greg Ruseski had to endure the disappointment in losing on Court No 1 on Thursday, another British Wimbledon quarter- finalist enjoyed a much more successful afternoon... at Haydock Park.

Shirley Brasher, who reached the last eight in SW19 in the Fifties, skipped the Championships for the day to watch her horse, Debutante Days, in the 3.40 race, the Weatherby's Insurance Services Fillies' Handicap.

It proved a wise decision with Debutante Days, riden by Richard Hughes, finishing a length and three quarters ahead of Peppers to win at 8-1.

"I do like to go to Wimbledon," Brasher said, "but I couldn't miss seeing my horse run."

Brasher, who won the French and Italian singles titles in 1957, freely admits that these days she is far better informed about racing than tennis. "My tennis playing all seems so long ago. You would be better off now asking me the name of the Derby winner," she said.

The win was particularly significant for Brasher and her husband (the Olympic medallist Chris) as it ended a two year spate of disappointing results on the flat for Debutante Days.

THE NUMBERS GAME

1 The number of singles matches Martina Hingis has lost this year

10 The number of Wimbledon finals Jeremy Shales, who oversees today's women's singles final, has umpired

0 The number of Grand Slam titles Jana Novotna had to her name on 4 July, 1997

411,270 The highest ever Wimbledon attendance - in 1988 - which is expected to be surpassed this year

24 The position Greg Rusedski is expected to climb to in the rankings after reaching the quarter-finals this year

1987 The year of Steffi Graf's first Wimbledon final

TODAY'S WEATHER

Partial cloud cover is expected Maximum temp 20C