Camila Giorgi’s Sudden Tennis Exit: Tax Scandals, Modeling Moves, and a Star-Studded Comeback

In the high-stakes world of professional tennis, few exits have been as shrouded in intrigue as Camila Giorgi’s abrupt retirement in May 2024. The Italian firecracker, once a top-30 force with a blistering serve and unapologetic flair, vanished from the tour without a farewell wave—her name simply appearing on the International Tennis Integrity Agency’s retired players list. At 33, Giorgi left behind a career of explosive highs, but her departure ignited whispers of financial foul play, family flights, and a pivot to the spotlight’s softer side. One year on, as she struts red carpets and chats up ATP stars, the question lingers: Was tennis too taxing, or was it time to trade baselines for billboards?

#### A Career Built on Power and Defiance

Giorgi’s journey from Italian junior prodigy to WTA contender was nothing short of electric. Turning pro in 2006, she burst onto the scene with her flat, ferocious groundstrokes—earning a reputation as one of the tour’s hardest hitters. Her breakthrough came at the 2012 Wimbledon, where she stormed to the fourth round as a qualifier, cracking the top 100 for the first time. Highlights piled up: a maiden WTA title at the 2015 Rosmalen Grass Court Championships, a career-high ranking of No. 26 in October 2018, and her crowning glory—a stunning 2021 National Bank Open win in Montreal, where she toppled former world No. 1 Karolína Plíšková in the final. Grand Slam runs included a 2018 Wimbledon quarterfinal, fourth-round showings at the 2013 US Open and 2022 French Open, and even Olympic quarterfinal glory in Tokyo 2021. With four WTA titles under her belt, Giorgi was a fan favorite for her bold style and off-court charisma, amassing millions of Instagram followers along the way.

Yet, her final act on court was a whimper: a straight-sets defeat to world No. 1 Iga Świątek in the second round of the 2024 Miami Open. No press conference, no tearful tribute—just silence, followed by that ITIA listing. As one observer put it, it was a “mysterious end” to a career that always courted controversy.

#### The Retirement Riddle: Exhaustion or Evasion?

Giorgi had hinted at burnout before hanging up her racket. In a March 2025 interview, she confessed, “I wanted a new life because being a tennis player was exhausting.” The grind of constant travel, high-pressure matches, and the mental toll of elite competition had worn her down, she said—a sentiment echoed by many pros who call it quits in their early 30s. But the real storm brewed off the court, fueled by Italian media reports of tax troubles and a hasty family exodus.

By mid-2024, allegations surfaced that Giorgi and her parents had “fled” Italy for the United States to dodge tax authorities and unpaid debts. La Gazzetta dello Sport claimed the family owed up to six months’ rent on a Florence-area villa, allegedly stripping it of furniture—including antique tables and rugs—before vanishing. Financial police were reportedly on their trail, with suspicions of broader tax fraud tied to her earnings. Whispers even linked it to an older scandal: fake COVID-19 vaccination certificates issued by her personal doctor, which had landed Giorgi in hot water years prior.

Giorgi fired back fiercely during a September 2025 appearance at the Venice Film Festival, her first high-profile return to Italy since the uproar. “We did not flee for tax reasons—I never fled,” she insisted to reporters.

She explained the move to the US as a permanent relocation with her parents, blaming “outsiders and lawyers” who managed her affairs for any mix-ups. The villa? Unfurnished when they left, she claimed, with all items rightfully theirs. No offenses against Italy’s financial system, she maintained—just a fresh start amid the chaos. While investigations linger, Giorgi’s denials have quelled some flames, painting her exit as a quest for reinvention rather than a getaway.

From Baseline to Byline: What’s Next for the Ex-Pro?

Retirement hasn’t dimmed Giorgi’s glow; if anything, it’s amplified it. Relocating to the US, she dove headfirst into modeling, leveraging her 2.5 million Instagram followers with sultry lingerie shoots and fashion campaigns that blend athletic poise with high-glam allure. Dubbed tennis’s answer to a Victoria’s Secret angel, her posts rack up likes faster than her old aces ever did.

But the court called her back—in a microphone-toting twist. In February 2025, Giorgi resurfaced at the ATP 250 Argentina Open in Buenos Aires as a courtside reporter, flashing her accreditation and grilling players like sixth seed Sebastian Baez.

“It’s crazy what I’m doing now,” she laughed in clips shared online, channeling her insider edge into witty interviews. The gig marked a full-circle moment, swapping sweat for spotlight without the stakes of a service game.

By April, she upped the ante with a stint on Italy’s “Temptation Island,” a steamy reality show testing couples’ fidelity—perfect fodder for a star unafraid of drama.

It was a calculated bid to morph from athlete to media maven, capitalizing on her notoriety.

Fast-forward to September 2025, and Giorgi’s Venice Film Festival red-carpet strut stole the show—glam gowns, poised poses, and that signature defiance on full display.

q Amid flashing bulbs, she reiterated her clean slate, hinting at more entertainment ventures ahead. Is a full-time TV role next? A modeling empire? Or perhaps penning a tell-all on tennis’s underbelly?

Whatever the script, Camila Giorgi proves retirements needn’t be retirements at all. From tax-tangled turmoil to triumphant returns, she’s scripting a sequel that’s equal parts scandal and sparkle—one serve at a time, just off-camera.