Who is Camila Giorgi? Everything you need to know about her rise and sudden fall

Camila Giorgi is the only player to win a 6-0 set against Swiatek and Sabalenka in a Grand Slam.

Camila Giorgi is a former world No. 26 WTA star, she is renowned for her aggressive tennis playing style and powerful flat groundstrokes. The Italian was one of the hardest hitters on tour and a fiery competitor when in form

Giorgi made her Grand Slam main-draw debut at the 2011 Wimbledon Championships, after winning her first ITF title in 2009. She reached the fourth round of the 2012 Wimbledon Championships in just her second appearance at the tournament, thereby making her top-100 debut in the WTA rankings.

Also Read: Top five oldest champions of Australian Open

The Italian made her maiden Grand Slam quarter-final appearance at the 2018 Wimbledon Championships, six years after her Wimbledon breakout. Giorgi reached her first WTA Tour final at the Katowice Open in 2014 and then won her first title at the Rosmalen Open.

She won the biggest title of her career by defeating former world No. #1, Karolina Pliskova, in the final of the 2021 National Bank Open in Montreal.

What happened to Camila Giorgi?

Camila Giorgi announced her sudden retirement from tennis in 2024, with a large slice of mystery surrounding the manner of her exit from the sport. This surprising decision led to wild claims in the tennis fraternity fuelling the rumours around her move to end her tennis story.

There have been no suggestions that 32-year-old Giorgi has had any regrets over her decision. Many claimed that she fled tennis to avoid ongoing disputes with the Italian tax authorities.

“The problems with the tax authorities? My family did not know about them, they were created by outside people who managed me and did this as a job,” said Giorgi in an interview with Italian broadcaster Verissimo. “We did not flee for tax reasons. I never fled, I never spoke. We did not pay the rent and we took the furniture? The house had no furniture, we brought it ourselves.”

How much prize money has Giorgi won in her career?

Giorgi’s total career prize money before winning the Canadian Open 2021 was $4,472,064. Her singles title in Montreal earned her a prize money cheque of $221,500. As of 8 May 2024, Giorgi’s prize money stands at $6.4 million.

Also Read: Top six ATP players with highest winning percentage as World No. 1

Camila Giorgi controversy

Camila Giorgi had been accused of stealing antiques and failing to pay six months of rent before fleeing to the US. Italian media outlet La Gazzetta dello Sport claimed that the former world No. 26 had fled to the United States, having been wanted for questioning by Italy’s financial police.

According to investigations of the Florence Prosecutor’s Office, Giorgi and her family have several “gaps” regarding unsubmitted tax returns. Before leaving Italy for the US, Giorgi lived in a rental property in Calenzano, Tuscany. The landlord made a series of accusations against the tennis star and her family: “They made half of our furniture disappear.”

In addition to the Italian tennis icon, her father Sergio, mother Claudia, and brothers Leandro and Amadeus are accused of leaving for the US. The landlord then claimed that he had been in contact with Sergio since his departure.

They added: “I wrote to him that they must at least give us back our things, he responded in a contemptuous way saying that they were objects of little value. A hateful behaviour, for those like me who have suffered economic but also emotional damage.”

Giorgi’s official retirement announcement

The four-time singles champion announced her retirement in May 2024, via an Instagram story. Her last contest was in the second round of the Miami Open, against Former World Number One Iga Swiatek, whom the Pole defeated in straight sets.

“I am pleased to announce my retirement from my tennis career. I am grateful for your wonderful love and support for so many years. I cherish all the beautiful memories. There have been many inaccurate rumors about my plans, so I look forward to providing more information about exciting opportunities ahead. It is a joy to share my life with you, and let’s continue this journey together”, wrote the Italian in a heartfelt goodbye to the sport.

Also Read: Australian Open: List of women’s singles title winners

Giorgi’s fashion interest

According to Giorgi, when she is not competing, she enjoys fashion and other activities off the court. Her mother, a fashion designer, owns the brand Giomila, which Giorgi often wears on court.

“When I go home, there are other things in life, too. The beautiful thing that I think about being a woman, is that you can wear things, just colors, different kinds of dresses. This is I think even life,” said the 33-year-old after winning the Montreal final.

Giorgi is on Instagram where she has more than 720,000 followers. She also has an athlete page on Facebook, which is managed by her team and has more than 438,000 followers.

For more updates, follow Khel Now on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Whatsapp & Telegram