Former Italian tennis star Camila Giorgi has made a surprising comeback to the public eye, turning heads on the red carpet at the Venice Film Festival. The 33-year-old, who had largely disappeared from the spotlight after her sudden retirement from tennis, appeared dazzling in a white sequined gown — marking her first major public appearance in months.
Giorgi’s return to Italy comes after a storm of controversy. The ex-world No. 26 reportedly left the country amid accusations of tax evasion and unpaid rent, claims she has firmly denied. Following her retirement in May of last year, Giorgi relocated to the United States with her parents and shifted her focus to lingerie modeling, a passion she had previously pursued alongside her tennis career.
Addressing the allegations in an interview with Italian talk show Verissimo, Giorgi described the claims of unpaid rent as “laughable” and rejected reports that she had fled the country. “It was not an escape,” she explained. “I moved to America permanently with my parents.” She further clarified that any tax issues stemmed from a former lawyer, not her own wrongdoing, adding that her family was unaware of the situation.
Before stepping away from professional tennis, Giorgi enjoyed an impressive career — reaching the fourth round of the US Open in 2013, the quarterfinals at Wimbledon in 2018, and representing Italy at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, where she also made the quarterfinals. Her radiant appearance in Venice signals a confident return to the spotlight after a turbulent period away from the game.
