Serena Williams: 'I thought I was on deathbed'

Serena Williams has said that she thought she was on her "deathbed" after suffering blood clots on her lungs.

The tennis star, who will take part in the Eastbourne Aegon International this week, received medical treatment after suffering a pulmonary embolism and hematoma in March.

In an interview with BBC News marking her return to tennis, she said: "I'm so excited to be back. I was on my death bed at one point - quite literally."

Williams, 29, went on to say that she "didn't appreciate" the seriousness of the condition at first, but soon realised that if she had delayed seeing a doctor it could have meant the end of her career.

"They told me I had several blood clots in both lungs. A lot of people die from that," she said. "It got to the stage where it felt like I could hardly breathe. Some days I didn't get out of bed at all. I just laid on a couch thinking, 'Why has this happened to me?'"

The blood clots are thought to have developed after Williams cut her foot on glass while leaving a restaurant with her nephew and hitting partner and as a result, had restricted mobility for several months.

Williams, who has not played competitively since her Wimbledon win, added that the affliction has given her a "whole new perspective" on her life and career.

She was recently reported to have begun work on a series of rap tracks with Minnesota Viking Bryant McKinnie's record label and producer DJ Clue.