The oft-repeated statement that the very best sportsmen and women seem to have more time may have a kernel of truth, according to neuroscientists.

Researchers at University College London have found that an individual's perception of time does seem to slow as they prepare to make a physical action.

They suggest that getting ready to pick a pass or smash a ball affects the way the brain can processes information.

In elite performers, this capacity may be increased, they speculate.

"John McEnroe has reported that he feels time slows down as he is about to hit the ball, and F1 drivers report something very similar when overtaking," said Dr Nobuhiro Hagura from UCL's Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience.

"Our guess is that during the motor preparation, visual information processing in the brain is enhanced. So, maybe, the amount of information coming in is increased. That makes time be perceived longer and slower."

Dr Hagura was first prompted to look into the perception of time dilation after hearing of the experiences of big-hitting baseball stars in his native Japan, but the idea that top class performers somehow enjoy slightly longer to make critical decisions is popular right across the world of sport.