Serena Williams is back. She faces Maya Joint in the Ladies’ singles first round at Wimbledon today.

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Why does Serena Williams play with tape on her neck?

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Gidget writes for the latest news section of AS USA, covering breaking news and current affairs. She previously worked for TV for many years, both on and off-camera, as anchor, producer, and writer, reporting on topics from international to lifestyle news. She earned her master’s degree in journalism from the University of Missouri-Columbia.

Update: Jun 30th, 2026 15:41 EDT

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Serena Williams is back at Wimbledon and not just playing doubles withe her sister Venus. The American great is back after winning 23 Grand Slams and retiring back in 2022.

"The queen has arrived." 👑

Coverage of Serena Williams' return to Wimbledon begins at 11:20 AM ET on ESPN and the ESPN App 👏 pic.twitter.com/ogWQdf93PL
— ESPN (@espn) June 30, 2026

Tape makes another appearance on Serena Williams’ cheek

Serena has been seen wearing tape on her neck at Wimbledon. The 44-year-old wears strips of the stretchy, movable medical tape, also known as kinesiology tape. She explained many years ago that her sinus condition used to interfere with her performance on the court.

As a ‘sinus sufferer’, as she calls herself, she can experience headaches and pain. The tape was used to relieve those symptoms so that she could concentrate on serving up her best game.

After four years of retirement, Serena Williams is back on the court at Wimbledon.

📸 Getty Images pic.twitter.com/0KZzBoeSuE
— VIBE Magazine (@VibeMagazine) June 30, 2026

The Kinesio Taping method

According to its manufacturer, “The Kinesio Taping method is a therapeutic taping technique which alleviates pain and facilitates lymphatic drainage by microscopically lifting the skin.”

Serena didn't drop a point in her opening service game 😯 pic.twitter.com/3T0xxCX1Vn
— ESPN (@espn) June 30, 2026

The use of the colorful tape first gained popularity after Olympic athletes were seen wearing it in the 2008 Being Olympics, then at the 2012 London Games.

Some studies have found that there has been some benefit to using the elastic tape, but just like many other therapies that gain popularity, there are skeptics as well as research claiming that the benefits, if any, are minimal.

Other researchers claim that any improvement that athletes experience is just a result of the placebo effect.

These kinds of treatments will more often than not cause a debate among believers and detractors, but in the end, if they are not found to be harmful, athletes will likely use them if they in any way improve their performance in sports.

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America's long Wimbledon wait

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