Hyderabad: It’s a state of mind. It’s an Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. It’s superstition. The world and its wife thinks that the Indians are the ones who created superstitions and and stick to it like a leech, but some careful reading goes on to show something completely different.
People from all across the globe engage in some form of eccentricity, covering it up under a posh cloak of ritual. Some people HAVE to touch things twice; some need loads of sanitizer, some chant, some count. All this OCD, basically intensifies when people are on the brink of greatness. Ok, fine, if not greatness, at least on the brink of doing something of exceeding importance.
Now imagine the life of a sportsperson. Every match, every sprint, every second counts when they are on a platform, showcasing their talent and trying to outsmart their opponents. That’s not merely an event of exceeding importance.
It’s one moment that can possibly out them at par with the greats. Naturally, the urge to do everything right, before that moment of greatness does a peek-a-boo, is so strong and so overpowering, that all sanity flies out of the  window and the only thing that the blinkered mind thinks is – I’ve got to nail this, no matter what. In that quest for greatness, therefore, anything, absolutely that has been tried and tested before, no matter how crazy it might sound or look, is something that cannot be ignored. Newsmobile brings to you some sporting superstitions.
Serena Williams: Who cares about cleanliness when there’s a whole title at stake? Yes, Serena Williams’ secret to success is revealed. She wears the same pair of socks throughout a tournament. Unwashed, of course, silly! Now we wonder whether it’s her serves that get her opponent, or the stench from her socks. Yech! Oh wait, she also bounces the ball five times before she serves it.
Tiger Woods: Tiger Woods’ fascination with the colour red is deep rooted from the love for his mother and her country. On Sundays of every tournament, you’ll sport Tiger only and only in red. Makes him look good and play well. Did we hear his opponents growl?
Jason Terry: Being dirty is ok. Doing things is fine. But wearing other people’s underwear? Oh, good lord, no! Terry, is known to wear his future opponents’ shorts to bed before play. That makes his five pairs of socks on field a little less bearable.
Neil McKenzie: South African cricketer Neil McKenzie had his fair share of rather amusing superstitions. He’s insist on all the toilet seats being down while he was batting, but then to do that he’d need his bat. And that would be taped to the roof. Most of the times, he’d forget it there and then the toilet seats could breathe easy!
Rafael Nadal: If you thought all of the above fit the bill for being extreme cases of OCD, you’ve not met the king of OCDs, Nadal. Ranging from his socks being pulled to the same (painfully same) length, to bottle being arranged in the same way to vowing never to step on lines while playing, ladies and gentlemen, it sure takes a lot of effort to be Nadal. But the worst is err…picking out his wedgie in every match.
Roger Federer: 8 is his lucky number, Therefore, carries eight water bottles, eight towel rubs after every set and hits eight aces before starting a match. Self explanatory, isn’t it? A little birdie also told us that he locks himself in the washroom before matches and shouts at himself. Roger that?
Andre Agassi:Â After forgetting to pack his underwear for the 1999 Roland Garros, Agassi decided to try without some. After tasting success, this was the mantra he followed throughout the series. Go commando!
Steve Waugh: Steve Waugh is one of the finest cricketers the world has produced. He also happens to be one of the staunchest believers of superstition. He is not just known for his batting, he’s known for his red rag also, that he never fails to carry. Ever.