A tennis star who went missing after sensationally quitting the sport to become a ‘lingerie model’ did not ‘run away’, according to her lawyer.

Camila Giorgi announced her retirement in May amid rumours that the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) had been unable to get hold of her for two months.

At that time, speculation was rife over a reported move to the United States, with some suggesting she fled her native Italy in a bid to evade tax authorities.

The model, who has 730,000 followers on Instagram, was then accused of failing to pay rent and removing ‘half the furniture’ from a rented villa in Calenzano, near Florence, by her aggrieved former landlord.

After months of uncertainty over her location, Giorgi seems to have finally returned to Italy – with her lawyer Edmondo Tomaselli claiming she did not ‘run away’ at all, Bild reports.

He said: ‘Camila Giorgi is in Rome. In recent months she has been away for professional reasons.

‘In short, she has not run away at all, as some have claimed.

‘It’s all just talk, no desire not to be found, just personal commitments.

‘Her fans have always followed her through her Instagram page, she has never been unavailable.’

As per the German publication, her lawyer says she denies the allegations against her.

Mr Tomaselli told Mail Sport that Giorgi also denies the allegations made by her former landlord.

Indeed, fans of the 32-year-old have been provided with a steady stream of pictures of Giorgi striking poses in an array of outfits.

Two weeks ago, she was snapped on a rooftop in Manhattan in a trip which coincided with the US Open in New York City.

Earlier in the summer, a series of posts from mid-July to early August placed the former world No 26 in Dallas, Texas.

Prior to that Giorgi had had an 11-month hiatus from the social media platform with her previous post being from August 22, 2023.

During this time, the former Wimbledon quarter-finalist went through a tumultuous period where she dramatically quit the sport to pursue modelling and fashion design before falling victim to a litany of accusations.

Her apparent disappearance from Italy led many to suggest she was fleeing authorities over a tax issue, with others claiming she was escaping a landlord who said she had stolen tens of thousands of euros worth of furniture.

As per Italian outlet La Repubblica, via Corriere della Serra, this included a number of expensive items including rugs and antique tables.

‘Not only did they leave without saying anything with six months of unpaid rent,’ the villa’s owner told the Italian outlet. ‘But they made half of our furniture disappear.

‘Persian rugs, fine furniture, even an antique half-ton table. We are talking about damage between 50 and 100 thousand euros.’

The owner alleges that they were in discussion with Giorgi’s father Sergio, adding that he had treated their concerns ‘contemptuously’.

‘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,’ the owner added.

‘A hateful behaviour, for those like me who have suffered economic but also emotional damage.

‘I can’t know how much is true or how much Camila owes the State, but I know what she owes us.

‘Those objects are part of my mother’s life and mine: I want them back, at least this much, given that we have lost hope due to the thousands and thousands of euros in back rent.’

Neighbours are reported to have seen moving vans at the property and alerted the owner, who arrived at the villa to find that the house had been almost ransacked.

‘When I arrived there was no one left and the house was half empty,’ they continued. ‘In the garden, however, there were other pieces of furniture and carpets piled on top of each other.

‘They had probably already filled the trucks and didn’t know where to put them anymore.’

This summer’s chaos was not the first time the model has felt the heat from authorities.

Giorgi remains under investigation following accusations that she used a fake Covid vaccination certificate to get into the Australian Open in 2022, which she and her father angrily deny.

As per Bild, she faces a trial over this case with her lawyer saying she is set to ask the judge for a shortened trial.

The lawyer added that Giorgi denies the allegations levelled against her.

It came after Italian doctor Daniela Grillone, who had been under investigation by authorities for allegedly delivering fake Covid-19 vaccinations to patients, alleged that Giorgi never received the jab despite her featuring in the second round.

At the time she said: ‘I did everything what they ask, the Australian government. Each year we are fine with that. Of course. I did all vaccination, yes.’

Giorgi said she received one vaccination with Grillone and completed the rest of her requirements with other medical practitioners.

‘The doctor has been investigate (sic), and she had troubles in this year with the law a few times,’ Giorgi said.

‘I just did all my vaccination in different places. So the trouble is hers. Not me. So with that, I’m very calm.’

Giorgi had won four titles on the WTA circuit and reached the quarter-finals of Wimbledon in 2018 – achieving a career-high world ranking of 26 that year.

She developed a reputation as one of the hardest hitters in the women’s game, but also gained attention for her modelling career off the court and presence as a social media star.