Why is Serena Williams wearing black tape on her face at the Canadian Open? Everything you need to know about the secret ingredient to the American legend's sinus prevention tactics

Serena Williams made her return to the tour at the Canadian Open in some style, showing glimpses of her vintage fighting abilities in her opening round match against Nuria Parrizas-Diaz on Monday. While there were many familiar sights with regard to Williams' form, there was something unique about her choice of facial accessory during the match.

Williams sported a large patch of black tape on her face throughout the match. This is not the first time she has worn the tape and is expected to do so in her next matches in Canada and in other upcoming tournaments as well. Williams wore the tape during the Eastbourne International and Wimbledon Championships in June too.

The tape left many fans worried and in suspense regarding her reason for wearing it. Much to their relief, it is not a serious issue.

Why is Serena Williams wearing the tape?

It is believed that the American player wears the tape to ease the difficulty caused by her sinus problems. Serena Williams has been suffering from sinus issues for many years now and she often uses techniques to keep the pain away, particularly during tournaments.

She first opened up on the issue during an interview with Reuters many years ago.

"My secret’s out. I’m a sinus sufferer. Playing tennis or pretty much doing anything every day is not easy when you have sinuses. You feel a lot of pressure, congestion and pain and training for grand slams such as the ones coming up like Wimbledon and the French Open, it’s not easy," Serena Williams said.

According to The Times, it is a Kinesio Tape (also called Kinesiology Tape) which is often worn by athletes to ease some forms of muscle pain. However, Williams uses the tape for the sinus issue. Such tapes are worn on the face to also relieve pain after a cosmetic procedure.

The 40-year-old was asked about the tape in a press conference after her comeback match on tour in the doubles event at the Eastbourne International. However, Williams chose not to talk about the same.

Meanwhile, at the 2022 Canadian Open, Williams is through to the second round and awaits the winner of the match between Belinda Bencic and Tereza Martincova.

Serena Williams announces her retirement from tennis

Serena Williams at The Championships - Wimbledon 2022

Less than a day after winning her first match since the 2021 French Open and since turning 40 years old, Serena Williams announced her decision to retire from tennis, effective a few weeks from now. Through the latest issue of Vogue magazine, Williams said she will retire soon and hinted at the US Open being her final tournament.

In her statement, Williams expressed that she is moving away from tennis to focus on her family as well as to devote more time to her venture capital firm Serena Ventures.

"Maybe the best word to describe what I’m up to is evolution. I’m here to tell you that I’m evolving away from tennis, toward other things that are important to me. A few years ago I quietly started Serena Ventures, a venture capital firm. Soon after that, I started a family. I want to grow that family," she said.

Williams will compete in Cincinnati next week after her final appearance at the Canadian Open. She received a wildcard for the WTA 1000 event in Ohio. She will then make her final appearance at the US Open, where she is a six-time champion.