Tennis legend shares health update after surgery to remove grapefruit-sized lump
Tennis legend Serena Williams has given fans a health update after finding a lump the "size of a grapefruit" on her neck. The 43-year-old revealed she made the discovery back in May, and after an MRI scan, she was told the lump was a benign branchial cyst.
After the initial scan in May, the athlete was told she didn’t have to have the lump removed if she didn’t want to, however, she revealed it ‘kept growing’ and therefore decided to have it removed recently. Explaining the process in the caption of a video recorded from her hospital bed, Serena wrote: “Back in May I found a lump showing on my neck. I immediately went to the doc got a MRI and was told I have a brachial cyst. Have you ever heard of that?”
“They said I don’t need to get it removed if I don’t want. So I did not get it (removed) but it kept growing. I decided to get more tests, and three tests and one biopsy later everything is still negative but doctors advised I get it removed ASAP because it was the size of a small grapefruit and it could get infected, or worse, leak.”
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Serena continued: “So this is me removing it. I am feeling so grateful, and fortunate everything worked out, and most of all I’m healthy. I still made it to American doll with Olympia as promised,” before telling concerned fans that “all is OK.”
In a separate post, the mum of two said ‘health always comes first’ as she listed the big events she had missed due to the procedure. “So many things I missed like @glamourmag Woman of the Year awards, @RafaelNadal retirement and I am still recovering, but getting better. Health always comes first,” she said.
Fans rushed to the comments to send the star their well wishes, as one penned: “Glad you caught it early and are on the mend,” while a second said: “Heal well, Queen Serena!” A third exclaimed: “Praying for your healing sis!!”
The operation comes two years after Serena retired from the game, during the 2022 US Open. During her career that spanned over two decades, the tennis legend won a hugely impressive 23 Grand Slams, just one title short of Margaret Court's record of 24 titles.
During her career, Serena gave birth to first daughter, Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr in September 2017, before rejoining the game until retiring in 2022. She gave birth to her second daughter, Adira River Ohanian, with husband Alexis Ohanian, in August 2023.
