HILTON HEAD ISLAND. Apr 3 (AP): Don't step on the court lines. Use the same shower every day. even if you have to wait for it. And sit on the same side of the umpire as when you won your last match — even if you have to run to the chair.

Those rituals may seem farfetched. but for some of the lop players on Ihe Women's Tennis Association Tour, they're important,

"When you're winning, you have to use the same shower, same chair, shame side of the umpire." said Rennae Stubbs, who Is playing doubles this week at the Family Circle Cup. Tf-yoii do something different, you freiik out.

"Every single player does il.”

The No 1 player In the work! admits to one little superstition: She tries not to step on the lines on the court.

"I was glad to read that I'm not the only one who does this — that I'm not abnormal." topseeded Martina Hingis said of rival Monica Seles' practice of avoiding the lines.

But the superstitions don’t slop at walking, silling and showering. They extend to a player's most important piece of equipment: the racket.

Some players have sent their coaches out in the middle of a match to have a racket restrung. said Gunnar Schmid, who strings rackets for a living.

Schmid expects to string about 300 rackets by the end of the nine days of Family Circle matches.

They're very picky when it conies io tension in the rackets, how many knots in the string — everyone likes something different and each is very particular." Schmid said.

Last year's champion. Amanda Coetzer. doesn't have any rituals or tennis superstitions. but she understands why players do.

"We have to maintain a very uncertain lifestyle." Coetzer said. "Maybe the superstitions help players have something that makes them feel in control."

Coetzer does have one superstition. but it's not related to tennis.

She could have used a pocketful of pennies Thursday when she became the Family Circle Cup's second defending champion to lose before ihe quarter-finals.