“Breaking: Serena’s doctors just removed a massive cyst from her neck – fans can’t stop praying for her speedy recovery. 🙏 Tag a friend who’d want to send good vibes!

Serena Williams, the 23‑time Grand Slam champion, recently opened up about a health scare that’s had the tennis world buzzing. In a candid TikTok video posted in mid‑October, she revealed that doctors had taken out a cyst the size of a small grapefruit from the right side of her neck.

“I found this big mass on my neck. I was mortified by it,” she said, describing how the lump was first spotted in May and kept growing despite a series of tests and a biopsy that all came back negative.

The surgery, which required a drain because of the cyst’s size, went smoothly. Serena shared a short clip from the hospital, smiling with her daughter Olympia after the procedure and joking that she still made it to their promised American Girl‑doll shopping trip.

“I’m feeling so grateful and fortunate everything worked out and most of all I’m healthy,” she wrote in the caption, adding that she’s “still recovering, but getting better” .

Fans have flooded the comment section with prayers and well‑wishes. One user wrote, “So glad it wasn’t the big C and you are going to be better!! Your precious girls need their momma,” while another simply left a 🙏 emoji. The outpouring of support underscores how Serena’s transparency turns a routine medical update into a moment of community love.

A bit of background: the cyst was identified as a brachial (or branchial) cleft cyst—a benign fluid‑filled sac that can appear on the neck. Though usually harmless, doctors recommended removal because the mass had grown to the size of a grapefruit and posed a risk of infection or ruptured.

Serena’s post also reminded everyone that health should always come first. She missed a few high‑profile events—including Glamour Magazine’s Woman of the Year awards and Rafael Nadal’s retirement announcement—to focus on recovery, but she’s now back to sharing light‑hearted moments with Olympia and her husband Alexis Ohanian, who has been a steady source of encouragement.