Serena Williams has cyst removed from her neck as tennis legend, 43, shares update from hospital bed

Tennis legend Serena Williams has revealed that she had a benign branchial cyst ‘the size of a small grapefruit’ recently removed from her neck. 

The 43-year-old insists ‘all is OK’ has she shared the update from a hospital bed. 

Williams revealed the procedure in a social-media video, saying she found a lump on her neck back in May and was told at the resulting MRI exam she did not need to get it removed if she did not want to. 

Williams chose not to at first ‘but it kept growing,’ she said. 

‘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,’ Williams said in a separate post.

Williams posted a video to her TikTok detailing her procedure to remove a cyst from her neck

Williams has been active in her two years off the court, including hosting the ESPYS in July

‘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?’ Williams said in the video. 

‘They said I don’t need to get it removed if I don’t want. So I did not get it 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.’ 

‘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. And yes all is OK.’

Williams was spotted last month on the floor during a Green Day concert in Los Angeles, jogging around in a circle alongside other fans of the rock band, looking no worse for wear. 

Williams just turned 43 in September and has been fully retired from tennis for two years since her swan-song tournament at the 2022 US Open.