Serena Williams shared that she underwent surgery to remove a benign branchial cyst, which she described as being “the size of a small grapefruit,” from her neck, expressing that she is now doing well.

The former tennis champion, who recently celebrated her 43rd birthday, updated her fans on social media about her health journey. She noticed a lump on her neck in May and underwent an MRI. Although she was informed that removal was not necessary at that time, she opted not to proceed with surgery. However, Williams later noted that the lump continued to grow.

Following additional medical evaluations, including a biopsy that confirmed the cyst was not cancerous, her medical team recommended that she have the growth surgically removed. In a heartfelt video shared on social media, she documented her hospital experience, stating, “So this is me removing it. I am feeling so grateful, and fortunate everything worked out, and most of all I’m healthy.”

In another post, she reflected on her recovery process, mentioning, “I am still recovering, but getting better. Health always comes first.”

Williams revealed her retirement from professional tennis ahead of her final tournament, the 2022 U.S. Open, opting to frame her departure as “evolving” rather than retiring. Throughout her career, she achieved remarkable success, securing 23 Grand Slam singles titles—the highest number by any woman in the professional era—as well as 14 Grand Slam doubles titles alongside her sister, Venus. She also held the No. 1 spot in the WTA rankings for over 300 weeks and won four Olympic gold medals.