Serena Williams Reveals Massive Cyst Removal

Serena Williams has claimed victory countless times on the court, and in her latest off-court win, the tennis legend is saying goodbye to a nasty cyst.

On Oct. 15, the 23-time Grand Slam champ took to TikTok to share an intimate health journey she's gone through this year. Back in May, she found a lump in her neck that she went to get checked out. After undergoing an MRI , she'd been diagnosed with having a brachial cyst.

At first, she was told she didn't need to get it removed if she didn't want to, so she didn't. "But it kept growing," she described. "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."

She filmed herself getting prepared to have the grapefruit-sized cyst removed, which she admitted "kinda hurt coming out. "Obviously I went under for it but they had to put a drain in it because it was so much," she explained in the video. "But everything worked out, and I feel really happy to have worked with some great doctors."

Although she was exhausted and in pain after the procedure, the sports icon didn't ignore a parental promise she made. She ended the video with a shopping trip to the American Girl doll store with her daughter, six-year-old Olympia. "Mommy is suffering, but mom has to keep showing up," she concluded. "I'm going to go home and pass out."

Clearly retirement for Williams hasn't been all rest and relaxation.