Nagoya, Japan, November 12, 2006: Even in the middle of a tension-filled tie-break, there is still time for a laugh.
Take the case of Serbia and Montenegro in their crucial Pool E encounter with Chinese Taipei at Nagoya Rainbow Hall on Sunday afternoon.
A win would put Serbia and Montenegro into the World Championship semi-finals, but Chinese Taipei had refused to buckle under the onslaught of the mighty Serbia and Montenegro spiking machine.
As the fifth-set tie-break progressed, with the spectators on the edge of their seats, suddenly the Serbia and Montenegro players on court burst out laughing.
What was going on? What had caused such merriment at such a critical time of the match?
Captain Vesna Citakovic explains: "It was a funny situation. It was 10-10 in the tie-breaker and our setter, Maja Ognjenovic, was lying on the floor. I fell over her on to my belly, so she was afraid something had happened to me.
"Maybe it was good that something like that happened to me at that time."
As the captain says, perhaps it eased the tension down the stretch and brought the players together for one last push.
The result sheet is proof of that, because Serbia and Montenegro went on to win the fifth set 15-13 to book a place in the last four in their first World Championship appearance since 1978, when the former Yugoslavia finished 16th.
Another feature of the Serbia and Montenegro team is the clapping of the players as a team-mate prepares to serve. Not just the players on the bench or in the corner, but the players on court lining up for action.
After Sunday's victory over Chinese Taipei, captain Citakovic was asked who started this tactic.
"This is a question we have been asked three times already but I shall give the answer once again," she said.
"The girls on the bench would like to give their support to the girl who is serving, and the girls on the court like to support each other."
But who started it?
"Number 13," she replied off the top of her head, which is Maja Simanic according to the team sheet.
When the press conference finished, a journalist from Serbia and Montenegro commented: "13? It's not true. She just made it up."