Agents for Serena Williams confirmed Wednesday that she was diagnosed with a pulmonary embolism last week and later needed treatment for a hematoma. The 13-time Grand Slam champion hasn’t played a match since winning Wimbledon last July after cutting her right foot on broken glass at a restaurant shortly after winning her fourth Wimbledon title.
Her latest health problems have been “extremely hard, scary and disappointing,” Williams, 29, said in a prepared statement. “I am doing better. I’m at home now and working with my doctors to keep everything under control. I know I will be OK but am praying and hoping this will all be behind me soon.
“While I can’t make any promises now on my return, I hope to be back by early summer. That said, my main goal is to make sure I get there safely.”
People magazine first reported on Williams’ condition, quoting spokeswoman Nicole Chabot as saying Williams underwent “emergency treatment” Monday for a hematoma suffered as a result of treatment for “a more critical situation,” the pulmonary embolism.
Mark Adelman, chief of vascular surgery at New York University Langone Medical Center, said a patient with a pulmonary embolism would need to take an anticoagulant for 6-12 months but could play sports on the medication.
