Serena Williams has had to undergo a small procedure in hospital to remove a brachial cyst in her neck.
The tennis legend shared details of the health scare on TikTok.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Serena Williams reveals health scare.
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“A lot has been happening and I had surgery recently where I had to take some yucky medicine that I hated so much,” she said.
“One day back in May, I found this big mass on my neck. I was mortified by it and I got tests done — everything you can imagine. Everything was negative.
“Turns out I have what’s called a cyst, a brachial cyst, to be exact.
“(Doctors) 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 was still negative, but doctors advised I get it removed as soon as possible because it was the size of a small grapefruit and it could get infected, or worse, leak.”
Williams shared vision of the procedure she had to undergo to have it removed.
“So, I ended up having to get it removed. It was so big, it was the size of a grapefruit, and it kind of hurt at coming out,” she went on.
“Obviously I went under (general anesthetic) for it, but they had to put a drain in it because it was so much.
“But everything worked out and I feel really happy to have worked with some great doctors.
“A little scared here but excited to move on to the next steps of healing and doing well.”
The 43-year-old mother-of-two came out of the successful surgery and was still able to keep a promise to her eldest daughter, Olympia.
“I am feeling so grateful, and fortunate everything worked out, and most of all I’m healthy,” she said.
“I still made it to American Doll with Olympia as promised. And yes all is OK.”
Williams is one of the greatest players in the history of tennis, having won 23 grand slams, third only to Novak Djokovic and Margaret Court (both 24).
She has been retired for over two years now, but recently dropped a cryptic teaser to tennis fans around the globe.
Williams last graced the court in a professional match at the 2022 US Open where she bowed out in the third round to Aussie Ajla Tomljanovic.
She had flagged a month earlier that was “evolving away from tennis”, but refused to use the R-word.
“I have never liked the word ‘retirement’,” she said in August 2022.
Officially, though, Williams is retired.
Her name appeared on the International Tennis Integrity Agency’s retired players list on September 3, 2022.
That, though, hasn’t stopped rumblings of an unlikely comeback.
And a message she released in May did nothing to quell those rumours.
“I’m ready to hit some balls again,” the 42-year-old said at the time, apropos of nothing.
Whether it meant she wants to make a fully-fledged comeback to the game, or she just feels ready to have a social hit again, no one knew.
But it set the internet alight.
By the next morning, the post had already reached 4.3 million people.
“The news we needed today,” the Tennis Channel replied.
