Serena Williams recovering, hopes to return to tennis in summer

NEW YORK (AP) -- Serena Williams says it was "the scariest moment in my life" when blood clots were recently discovered in her lungs.

But the 13-time Grand Slam champion said on NBC's "Today" show Wednesday that she hopes to return to tennis this summer after recovering from a recent pulmonary embolism followed by a hematoma.

 Williams spoke from Los Angles, saying she hasn't left the house much since going to the hospital on Feb. 18 when she said she "couldn't breathe."

Williams said she had a CAT scan of her lungs and they "found several blood clots." Her treatment involved self-injecting blood thinners. As a result, she developed a hematoma in her stomach that grew to the size of "a grapefruit" and it was surgically removed.

Her absence from tennis could stretch to almost a year since winning the Wimbledon title in July.

© 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.