Serena Williams returned to Wimbledon’s Centre Court on Tuesday to face Harmony Tan in her first round match.
The 23-time Grand Slam champion sported her Wimbledon white outfit, but fans noticed something different about her appearance. Williams wore black tape on her right cheek.
The black tape is actually called Kinesio tape, according to The Times, which is often used by athletes to help with muscle pain. However, Williams is using the tape on her face to help with her sinuses. The American tennis star admitted that her sinuses have been bothering her, and the tape is supposed to help relieve the pain while she plays.
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KT Tape, as it’s known by its brand, was popularized by Olympic athletes over the years, specifically with beach volleyball players.
Williams wore the tape on her face during her professional tennis return last week at the Eastbourne International tournament while playing doubles with Ons Jabeur. The duo reached the semi-finals, but had to withdraw from the tournament as Jabeur dealt with a knee injury.
After not playing a professional singles tennis match since last year’s Wimbledon, Williams is now looking to win her 24th major, which would tie Margaret Court for the most Grand Slam wins in tennis history.
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