Serena Williams has confirmed that the black plasters on her face during her match at the Canadian Open are due to a long-term sinus issue.
Williams' return to the WTA Tour after nearly a year at Wimbledon had already generated much attention, with fans wondering if she could return to her past glories. However, the American dropped a bombshell announcement yesterday.
The 23-time Grand Slam confirmed she would retire from professional tennis after the US Open. That news shocked many tennis fans who thought Williams would play at least one more full season after returning.
Williams said she felt it was the right time to evolve away from tennis and focus on other areas that are important to her, such as her newfound passion for entrepreneurship, which she has spoken about regularly.
That means there will be intense focus on every match Williams plays between now and the end of the US Open. One thing fans noticed was the black plasters the 40-year-old wore during her opening-round win at the Canadian Open.
Williams explained that she is a sinus sufferer, making competing on the court challenging. The plasters are to reduce the pressure and congestion she feels during matches from the issue.
"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...it’s not easy."
Hopefully, that problem will not seriously affect Williams's final matches as a professional tennis player. She undoubtedly wants to make the final few weeks of her extraordinary career memorable.
The tennis legend will face the Olympic gold medalist and the No. 12 seed Belinda Bencic in the next round of the Canadian Open, which promises to be her biggest test since returning to the sport.