Serena Williams has posted an update from hospital as she recovers from surgery after having a cyst removed from her neck.

The former tennis star, 43, said she had the lump – the size of a ‘small grapefruit’ – removed after an MRI in May.

The procedure forced her to miss Rafael Nadal’s last game at the Olympics, but the American is now on the mend.

“They said I don’t need to get it removed if I don’t want,” she explained. “So I did not get it [removed], 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.”

She continued: “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.”

The 43-year-old followed up on X by lamenting the events she missed while going under the knife. “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,” she wrote.