Defending champion Serena Williams has revealed she met Jack Marshall, a five-year-old boy suffering from cancer, before her second round win at Wimbledon. Marshall\'s tragic story has touched hearts across Britain and Serena spent some time with the youngster after following the news of his illness on micro-blogging website Twitter. In October 2009, doctors discovered Marshall had a brain tumour and an aggressive form of cancer that had already spread to his spine. He survived a 10-hour operation to remove the primary tumour and also had to endure chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatment. Marshall was told he had only days to live in March but he has defied those predictions and Serena was delighted to be able to meet him on Wednesday. \"I kind of met him first on Twitter. His mom Tracy wrote and told me to read his story,\" Serena said after her three-set victory over Simona Halep on Thursday. \"I read it and my heart kind of went out for him. I was like, Oh my God. That was one thing, I thought if I made it to Wimbledon, I wanted to invite Jack out. \"I got to meet him yesterday (Wednesday). We spent some time together. They gave me one of his bands that I can wear. \"It\'s just been so amazing, his whole story, to be so small and to have such courage. He calls me his best bud, so I love it.\"