Serena Williams' Superstitions and Rituals

Serena Williams is one of the best tennis players ever, with many Grand Slam titles and years at the top of the sport. Besides her powerful serves, she’s also known for her many superstitions, which she’s followed very closely during her matches. Some of these are a little weird, but for Serena, they were important for helping her stay focused, feeling ready, and being confident.

One of the biggest things she does is wear the same pair of socks for a whole tournament. Even if she plays for a week or more, she still wears the same socks the whole time and doesn’t wash them. She believes that if she’s winning, she shouldn’t change anything. A lot of people might think it’s strange or even gross, but to her it was just part of her routine.

Another superstition Serena does is how she bounces the tennis ball before serving. She bounces it five times before her first serve and two times before the second. If she forgets or does it wrong, she said it can mess with her rhythm and focus. This might seem like a small thing, but for Serena, it makes a big difference. In an article from Medical Independent, Serena said, “I’m not losing because I didn’t play well, I lost because I didn’t tie my shoe the right way... I have to use the same shower, I have to use the same sandals, I have to travel with the same bags,” (Witherspoon).

It's not just her socks and ball bouncing. She also ties her shoes the same way, uses the same shower stall, and brings the same bags and sandals with her every time. These little things helped her feel like she was doing everything right and staying in control.

She also had a thing about her earrings. At one tournament, she wore blue and green earrings, and when she started winning, she decided to keep wearing them the whole time. She said in an interview, “Once I started wearing them, I just couldn’t stop.” Once she starts winning, she just wants to keep doing whatever feels right.

Even though she’s said some of her habits are “ridiculous,” she still did them her whole career. She didn’t want to mess with what worked. And since she won so much, she was right to keep them going. Serena’s superstitions gave her confidence and helped her feel like she was ready for anything.

Serena retired from tennis in 2022, but her legacy is more than just trophies. Her superstitions were a big part of how she stayed focused and calm in such a hard sport. They may seem strange to other people, but for her, they were just part of the game.