What happened to Serena Williams? All we know about the American's concerning health update about mysterious lump found in her body

Serena Williams underwent an operation to remove a mysterious lump on her neck. The American recently provided fans with more behind-the-scenes details about her medical journey in a social media post.

In a video posted on TikTok on October 15, Serena Williams detailed her journey of undergoing an operation to remove a cyst in her neck. The American tennis legend revealed that she had discovered a lump on her neck back in May. After contacting a doctor, she underwent an MRI and discovered that the lump was a branchial cyst.

At the time, the doctor told Williams that she did not need to get the cyst removed right away if she did not want to, which prompted Williams to decide against getting it removed initially. However, the cyst began growing, leading to the 23-time Grand Slam champion undergoing multiple tests and biopsy.

This time, the doctors advised Williams to get the cyst removed as it had increased in size and carried the risk of infection or leak. The American heeded the doctor's advice and got the surgery. After a successful procedure, Williams expressed gratitude and assured fans that she was healthy and was in the recovery process.

“Back in May I found a lump showing on my neck. I immediately went to the doc, got an MRI and was told I have a branchial cyst. Have you ever heard of that? They said I don’t need to get it removed if I don’t want to. So I did not get it but it kept growing. I decided to get more tests and 3 tests and one biopsy later, everything is 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," Serena Williams wrote.

“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,” she added.

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Serena Williams missed Rafael Nadal's retirement announcement due to medical procedure

Serena Williams and Rafael Nadal (Source: Getty)

Serena Williams was one of the notable names missing from the list of celebrities who had paid tribute to Rafael Nadal after he announced his retirement from tennis on October 10. The Spanish icon stated that he would hang up his racket after the 2024 Davis Cup in November. Nadal's post created a media frenzy, with tributes pouring in from every corner, including his rivals-turned-friends Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer.

However, Serena Williams was missing from the action during the period as she was undergoing treatment for her cyst. The 43-year-old took to X (formerly Twitter) on October 16 to express regret at missing many important events while she was under medical care, including the Glamour Magazine's Woman of the Year award and Rafael Nadal's retirement.

"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 tweeted.

Serena Williams and Rafael Nadal were among the biggest stars in the tennis world for many years together. The duo rose to the top of women's and men's tennis and won a combined 45 Grand Slam titles in the singles category. Williams retired from the sport in 2022.