Serena Williams says she had a benign branchial cyst “the size of a small grapefruit” removed from her neck and “all is OK”.

On Wednesday the retired tennis star, who turned 43 last month, said on social media that she found a lump on her neck in May and had an MRI exam. She initially chose not to undergo surgery after being told it was not necessary but the cyst “kept growing”.

After more tests, including a biopsy that was negative for cancer her doctors said she should have a procedure.

Williams posted a video of herself in hospital and wrote: “So this is me removing it. I am feeling so grateful, and fortunate everything worked out, and most of all I’m healthy.”

In a separate post, she said she is “still recovering, but getting better. Health always comes first.” She also mentioned that she had missed Rafael Nadal’s retirement while undergoing treatment on the cyst.

Williams said she was “evolving” away from professional tennis shortly before the 2022 US Open. She has never used the word “retirement” but has not played in a tournament since.

She won 23 grand slam titles in singles, the most by a woman in the sport’s professional era, and another 14 in doubles with her older sister Venus. Serena spent more than 300 weeks at No 1 in the WTA rankings and collected four Olympic gold medals.